Cricket
IPL Powerplay Rampages: The 10 Highest Scores Ever Blasted in the First Six Overs
Capitalising on the first six overs can make or break an IPL team’s scoring efforts. SportsBoom has listed the 10 highest scores ever made in the league’s powerplay and how the momentum was shifted.
Abhishek Sharma is congratulated by Travis Head//Getty Images
The first six overs of an Indian Premier League match are arguably the most exciting, often setting the tone for the rest of the game.
In this opening session, momentum tilts in the batting side’s favour, with fielding restrictions rewarding batsmen who play with intent.
These first six overs, known as the powerplay, allow only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle, which translates to boundaries in the IPL.
Teams that can maximise scoring in the powerplay also gain the psychological edge, demoralising the opposing bowling attack.
SportsBoom has looked at the 10 highest team totals ever achieved during the powerplay overs in the history of the Indian Premier League.
Highest IPL Powerplay Score: Maximising the First Six
In all forms of cricket, the fielding side aims to restrict scoring by placing players strategically to capitalise on batting errors and also prevent boundaries.
T20 powerplay overs only allow two players to cover the boundary ropes, which means the batting side has even more chances to hit fours or sixes.
A sluggish first six overs can put a team on the back foot, while a strong start can unsettle the bowling side, tipping the scales towards the batting team.
The All-Time Highest IPL Powerplay Scores
Some teams in the format take full advantage of the fielding restrictions, launching incredible assaults in the opening overs.
SportsBoom has looked at the cricket T20 powerplay stats to find the highest scores recorded in the first six overs of IPL games:
| Team | Powerplay Score | Opposition | Year | Venue |
| SRH | 125/0 | DC | 2024 | Delhi |
| SRH | 107/0 | LSG | 2024 | Lucknow |
| KKR | 105/0 | RCB | 2017 | Bengaluru |
| CSK | 100/2 | PBKS | 2014 | Mumbai |
| SRH | 94/1 | RR | 2025 | Hyderabad |
| PBKS | 93/1 | KKR | 2024 | Kolkata |
| DC | 92/0 | MI | 2024 | Delhi |
| RCB | 92/1 | GT | 2024 | Bengaluru |
| CSK | 90/0 | MI | 2015 | Mumbai |
| KKR | 90/1 | LSG | 2025 | Kolkata |
Best IPL Powerplay Batting: Spotlight on the Record-Breakers
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 2024 Blitzes
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma run between the wickets//Getty Images
In a season that saw them end as runners-up, when they should have been champions, Sunrisers Hyderabad tore through the opposition with record-setting scores.
During their 2024 campaign, SRH dismantled Delhi Capitals as openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma put on an overwhelming display of finesse and big hitting.
SRH’s highest powerplay score of 125 runs in the opening six overs, without losing a wicket, set a milestone not only for the Indian Premier League, but also for T20 cricket.
Head and Sharma’s assault on the Delhi bowlers included fours and sixes galore, placing SRH in a position to post a massive total of 266/7 and then claim a 67-run victory.
Weeks later, the Sunrisers opening pair would replicate their destructive form against Lucknow Super Giants, smashing 107 unbeaten runs within the match’s first six overs.
This would become the second-highest IPL powerplay total of the season and showcased SRH’s all-out attack mentality that propelled the franchise into the 2024 final.
The 100+ Club
Before Sunrisers Hyderabad upset the record books with their 2024 duo, the best powerplay score in IPL history belonged to Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the 2017 season, KKR was chasing 159 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru when openers Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn stepped out guns blazing.
West Indies all-rounder Narine, in particular, played the innings of his life, reaching a half-century in just 15 balls, with Lynn smashing it at the other end.
At the end of the first six, the KKR powerplay record was 105 runs and this emphasised the capacity of a single session to change an entire game.
Wicketless Wonders
Jake Fraser-Mcgurk of Delhi Capitals//Getty Images
A factor that also adds more intrigue to the powerplay top scores by Sunrisers and Knight Riders was the fact that no wickets were lost in those six-over sessions.
Delhi Capitals did the same with 92/0 at home against Mumbai Indians in 2024, with top-rated Australian opener Jake Fraser-McGurk racing to 78 from 24 balls.
With a strong run base at the end of the first six overs, DC set a monster total of 257/4 and were glad for this, considering MI were just 10 runs short in their innings.
Five-time winners Chennai Super Kings had previously entered the powerplay record books with 90/0 in 2015, thanks to Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum.
The big-hitting duo put on a masterclass in boundaries, smashing 13 fours and four sixes to take CSK to what was the third-best IPL powerplay score until 2024.
Most Runs in IPL Powerplay: Key Observations
It is worth noting that seven of the entries in the IPL powerplay records, including #1 and #2, were set during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
This has signified a shift towards more aggressive starts by the opening batsman, to get their teams started and also pressure the bowlers.
However, there’s also an argument that pace bowlers have been less effective on certain pitches, conceding more runs than spinners.
Looking at the table, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai appear twice each and possibly denote these grounds as high-scoring venues.
Meanwhile, despite a challenging 2025 campaign, Sunrisers’ dominance of powerplays has shone a light on their ultra-aggressive approach.
Sunil Narine of Kolkata Knight Riders//Getty Images
Conclusion
In a format where rapid scoring from the first ball is practically required, reaching a major powerplay tally is a major advantage.
Teams like SRH, KKR and CSK have reaped success and shattered records by maximising the contributions of openers in the first six overs.
With new additions to the rankings in 2025 so far, there could be even more sterling outings added to top powerplay scores in IPL history.
Teams known for explosive powerplay batting, lie SRH recently, have also influenced live betting odds significantly in the opening overs.
Analysing team strategy and opener form is also key for betting on powerplay run totals or highest opening partnership markets.
Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.