The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen some of the best batters in the history of cricket. There have been multiple hard hitters who have played a part in the rich history of IPL. T20 giants like Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Andre Russell played a great role in making these records. In the below piece, we will look at the top ten highest scores in the IPL.
Highest team totals in IPL history
Team | Score | Run-rate | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
Sunrisers Hyderabad | 277/3 | 13.85 | Mumbai Indians | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad | 27th March, 2024 |
Kolkata Knight Riders | 272/7 | 13.60 | Delhi Capitals | Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam | 3rd April, 2024 |
Royal Challengers Bangalore | 263/5 | 13.15 | Pune Warriors India | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore | 23rd April, 2013 |
Lucknow Super Giants | 257/5 | 12.85 | Punjab Kings | Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh | 28th April, 2023 |
Royal Challengers Bangalore | 248/3 | 12.40 | Gujarat Lions | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore | 14th May, 2016 |
Chennai Super Kings | 246/5 | 12.30 | Rajasthan Royals | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai | 3rd April, 2010 |
Mumbai Indians | 246/5 | 12.30 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad | 27th March, 2024 |
Kolkata Knight Riders | 245/6 | 12.25 | Kings XI Punjab | Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore | 12th May, 2018 |
Chennai Super Kings | 240/5 | 12 | Kings XI Punjab | Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh | 19th April, 2008 |
Chennai Super Kings | 235/4 | 11.75 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 23rd April, 2023 |
Royal Challengers Bangalore | 235/1 | 11.75 | Mumbai Indians | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 10th May, 2015 |
Mumbai Indians | 235/9 | 11.75 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi | 8th October, 2021 |
Sunrisers Hyderabad, 277/3
In the ongoing 17th season, Sunrisers Hyderabad registered the highest team total in the history of the Indian Premier League. Despite not scoring a century, SRH scored 277 runs for the loss of three wickets. The innings started with Travis Head providing a blistering start to the innings. The Australian opener scored 62 runs in just 24 balls hitting nine fours and three sixes. He scored the fastest fifty for SRH in 18 balls. A record which was broken a few minutes later by Abhishek Sharma. Sharma scored 63 runs in 23 balls hitting three fours and seven sixes. Abhishek completed the now-fastest fifty for SRH in just 16 balls. Aiden Markram too played a great role scoring 42 runs in 28 balls. But it was Heinrich Klaasen who provided the perfect finishing touch to the innings. Klaasen scored 80 runs in just 34 balls hitting four fours and seven sixes and helped SRH reach the highest total of IPL.
Kolkata Knight Riders, 272/7
When Sunrisers Hyderabad reached the highest total of the IPL history in the ongoing season nobody thought that the record would be breached. But a mere few days later when Kolkata Knight Riders took on the Delhi Capitals the record didn’t look too safe. Powered by Sunil Narine, the KKR scored 272 runs in the first innings. While being the pinch-hitter at the top of the order, Narine has already impressed many experts and fans. Against DC, Narine scored 85 runs in just 39 balls hitting seven fours and sixes each and was greatly supported by Angkirsh Raghuvanshi. Raghuvanshi was playing his first match in the IPL while being part of the starting XI. The youngster scored 54 runs in 27 balls hitting five fours and three sixes. Andre Rusell played a typical innings where he scored 41 runs in just 19 balls hitting four fours and three sixes. Rinku Singh too played a came scoring 26 runs in just eight balls hitting a four and three sixes. When it came to the last over of the innings, KKR looked in all readiness to break the record set by SRH just a few days ago. 14 runs were needed to go past that mammoth total. Ishant Sharma bowled an absolute peach of a yorker to Rusell and bowled him on the first ball of the over. He bowled the rest of the over with immense control allowing just eight runs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, 263/5
After the giant totals this season, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 263/5 seems like a forgotten memory. Even though the scores from KKR and SRH toppled RCB’s 263 it did not feature any centuries. When RCB scored 263 runs it was hugely thanks to a monstrous innings from Chris Gayle at the Chinnaswamy Stadium where he scored the still-highest individual score in the IPL. Gayle scored 175 runs in 66 balls hitting 13 fours and 17 sixes. To cap off an incredible night with the bat, Chris Gayle even bowled the final over of the match and even took two wickets.
Lucknow Super Giants, 257/5
Last year, Lucknow Super Giants came close to breaking RCB’s decade-long record. Once again it was two batters from West Indies who displayed their power-hitting while Marcus Stoinis played a great knock. At the top of the order, Kyle Mayers scored 54 runs in just 24 balls hitting seven fours and four sixes. Youngster, Ayush Badoni scored 43 runs in 24 balls hitting three fours and sixes each. Marcus Stoinis played a player of the match-winning knock scoring 72 runs in just 40 balls hitting six fours and five sixes. Nicholas Pooran played a great finishing cameo scoring 45 runs in 19 balls hitting seven fours and one six.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, 248/3
Royal Challengers Bangalore has been the most explosive team in the history of the IPL and their batting records suggest that. Bangalore once scored 248 runs against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in 2016. It was only possible due to the greatness of AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli. Kohli had already done enough to make the year 2016 as memorable as any year could be for a batter. While scoring almost 1000 runs in the IPL, Kohli showed his true greatness in the format. Along with Kohli, De Villiers also showed why he is often referred to as an alien. The duo shared a 229-run partnership while scoring their respective centuries. Kohli scored 109 runs in 55 balls hitting five fours and eight sixes. De Villiers on the other hand did something more incredible and scored 129 runs in just 52 balls hitting 10 fours and 12 sixes.
Chennai Super Kings, 246/5
MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chennai has always been associated with one of the slowest surfaces in the history of the IPL. So to make one of the highest totals at that venue must have taken some special innings and it came from the bat of Murali Vijay and Albie Morkel. Murali Vijay scored a century at an exhilarating strike rate. Vijay scored 127 runs in just 56 balls hitting 11 sixes and eight fours. Morkel played a cameo at the end of the innings scoring 62 runs in 34 balls hitting five sixes and three fours.
Mumbai Indians, 246/5
Mumbai Indians were earlier on the receiving end of a beating from the Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier this season. In response, the five-time champions scored the highest runs ever in a second innings. Even though the visitors lost by 31 runs there were plenty of signs which showed that the five-time champions were unfazed by the mammoth record-breaking total. Almost every player made contributions in scoring 246 runs in the second innings. Tilak Varma top-scored with 64 runs in 34 balls hitting six sixes and two fours. Ishan Kishan scored 34 runs in 13 balls hitting four sixes and two fours. Tim David down the order played a quickfire cameo scoring 42 runs in 22 balls hitting three sixes and two fours.
Kolkata Knight Riders, 245/6
Back in 2018, when Kolkata Knight Riders opened with Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine, it was one of the most destructive opening pairs in the Indian Premier League history. Lynn was a great player against pace bowler while Narine was a great player against the spinners. The 2012 and 2014 champions scored 245 runs against the Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings) in 2018. Narine at the top of the order scored 75 runs in 36 balls hitting four sixes and nine fours. Skipper, Dinesh Karthik too scored a half-century in just 23 balls hitting three sixes and five fours.
Chennai Super Kings, 240/5
Michael Hussey was one of the best batters in the early seasons of the IPL. Chennai Super Kings scored 240 runs against the Kings XI Punjab in 2008. Mr. Cricket scored 116 runs in just 54 balls hitting nine sixes and eight fours. Suresh Raina and Subramaniam Badrinath played great cameos down the order. Raina scored 32 runs in 13 balls hitting three sixes and two fours while Badrinath scored 31 runs in 14 balls hitting two sixes and three fours.
Chennai Super Kings, 235/4
Ajinkya Rahane has truly transformed himself into a great batter in the IPL since joining the Chennai Super Kings. In 2023, CSK scored 235 runs against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Eden Gardens. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway gave the MS Dhoni-led side a great opening. Gaikwad scored 35 runs in 20 balls while Conway scored a half-century. But it was Rahane whose innings powered CSK to 235 runs. The veteran Indian batter scored 71 runs in 29 balls hitting five sixes and six fours. Shivam Dube scored 50 runs off 21 balls hitting five sixes and two fours.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, 235/1
Royal Challengers Bangalore has always been a powerhouse batting side. Playing at Chinnaswamy stadium they have often shown their attacking prowess but there have been times when they have travelled out of their homes and retained their strengths. RCB scored 235 runs against the Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. It was because of the two pillars of the batting lineup, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. Kohli scored 82 runs in just 50 balls while De Villiers scored a magnificent century. The South African hard hitter scored 133 runs in just 59 balls hitting four sixes and 19 fours.
Mumbai Indians, 235/9
Five-time champions feature at the end of the list when they scored 235 runs against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The score was only possible due to the heroics of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. Kishan scored 84 runs in 32 balls hitting four sixes and 11 fours. Suryakumar scored 82 runs in 40 balls hitting three sixes and 13 fours.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) records tell stories of spectacular batting feats and instances of sheer genius in addition to being statistical summaries. It’s clear from looking at the greatest team totals in IPL history that some of the best players in cricket have graced the league with incredible performances. From Sunrisers Hyderabad’s historic 277/3 to the Mumbai Indians’ tenacious 235/9, every innings tells a story of forceful hitting and deft strategy.
The IPL is a monument to the way cricket has changed over time, breaking records and redefining boundaries with every new season. From AB de Villiers’ magnificent century to Chris Gayle’s legendary 175-run blitz, the league has seen innings that go down in cricket history. In addition to celebrating the top team totals, we also honour the players’ camaraderie, competitive spirit, and unshakable devotion, which elevate the Indian Premier League from a tournament to a spectacle of sportsmanship.