Since 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has changed how T20 cricket is played worldwide. It has become the gold standard for T20 excellence. It was April 18, 2008. The very first IPL match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Brendon McCullum walked out to open for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore, and what unfolded over the next 73 balls would redefine Twenty20 cricket forever.
McCullum’s 158* announced to the world that T20 was a format where aggression ruled, where 220+ totals were achievable, and where attacking cricket wasn’t recklessness but calculated dominance. In the years that followed, the world saw some incredible innings. Below, we talk about the top 10 innings in IPL history.
List of Top 10 Innings in IPL History
10. Abhishek Sharma 141 off 55 balls (Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2025)
Abhishek Sharma announced himself as one of IPL’s most destructive young talents with a breathtaking 141 off just 55 balls for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Punjab Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on April 12, 2025. Batting at a strike rate of 256.36, Sharma struck 14 fours and 10 sixes.β
9. Quinton de Kock 140* off 70 balls (Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2022)
Quinton de Kock unleashed a commanding and aggressive innings of 140* off 70 balls for Lucknow Super Giants against Kolkata Knight Riders at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on May 18, 2022. De Kock’s knock featured 10 fours and 10 sixes, struck at a strike rate of 200.00.
8. KL Rahul 132* off 69 balls (Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2020)
KL Rahul produced a composed yet powerful century of 132* off 69 balls for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 24, 2020. His innings featured 14 fours and 7 sixes, compiled at a strike rate of 191.30. Rahul scored quick runs without taking unnecessary risks, building partnerships and punishing the loose deliveries while respecting the good bowling.
7. AB de Villiers 129* off 52 balls (Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016)
AB de Villiers showcased his mastery of controlled aggression with an unbeaten 129 off just 52 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Gujarat Lions at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 14, 2016. Striking at 248.07 with 10 fours and 12 sixes, ABD’s knock was a masterclass in power-hitting precision. His partnership with Virat Kohli (who made 129 off 52 in the same match, unbeaten) created a 229-run stand that remains the highest partnership in IPL history.
6. AB de Villiers 133* off 59 balls (Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2015)
AB de Villiers delivered a vintage performance with an unbeaten 133 off 59 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on May 10, 2015. He scored at a strike rate of 225.42 with 19 fours and 4 sixes. Batting in the middle order, de Villiers provided the acceleration RCB required while maintaining technical soundness. His innings featured the second-highest partnership with Virat Kohli (215 runs against MI in the same season).
5. Brendon McCullum 158* off 73 balls (Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2008)
Brendon McCullum’s 158* off 73 balls in the very first IPL match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18, 2008, set the tone for Twenty20 cricket’s most explosive format. With 10 fours and 13 sixes struck at 216.43, McCullum announced to the world that T20 was meant for audacious batting. The knock took KKR to 222/3, making them the first team to breach the 200-run mark in IPL history.
4. Yusuf Pathan 72* off 22 balls (Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2014)
Yusuf Pathan produced the most explosive display of power-hitting ever witnessed in IPL cricket when he smashed 72* off just 22 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Eden Gardens on May 24, 2014. His strike rate of 327.27, featuring 5 fours and 7 sixes, created a 160-run match finish scenario that seemed impossible minutes earlier. Pathan signaled his intent with a six off the first ball and never looked back. Dropped on the first delivery, he capitalized ruthlessly, hitting boundaries through all parts of the ground. β
3. David Miller 101* off 38 balls (Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2013)
David Miller crafted one of the most complete centuries in IPL history with an unbeaten 101 off 38 balls for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on May 5, 2013. His strike rate of 265.79 featured 8 fours and 7 sixes. Notably, Virat Kohli dropped Miller on 41, a miss that proved catastrophic as the South African batsman proceeded to destroy the RCB attack. The final five overs of Punjab’s chase saw RCB bowlers concede 99 runs.β
2. Suresh Raina 87 off 25 balls (Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2014 Qualifier 2)
Suresh Raina’s 87 off 25 balls for Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 30, 2014, is one of the most devastating powerplay assaults in IPL history. With a strike rate of 348.00, featuring 12 fours and 6 sixes, Raina scored his 87 runs in just 6 overs in a high-stakes qualifier match where CSK was chasing 227.
No bowler was spared: Mitchell Johnson, Sandeep Sharma, and others were dismantled with ease. Raina’s timing and placement were absolute perfection, hitting over the top without slogging, finding gaps in the field with precision. His unfortunate run-out in the 25th ball denied cricket fans the fastest IPL century.
1. Chris Gayle 175* off 66 balls (Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors, IPL 2013)
Chris Gayle’s unbeaten 175 off 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 23, 2013, stands as the greatest individual batting display in T20 cricket history. His strike rate of 265.15, featuring an astonishing 13 fours and 17 sixes, set multiple records that remain untouched more than a decade later: fastest T20 century (30 balls), highest individual T20 score, most sixes in a T20 innings (17), and helped RCB record the highest T20 total (263/5).
Gayle attacked from the opening delivery, with even mis-hits clearing the boundary ropes. Against bowlers like Aaron Finch, who conceded 29 runs in one over, and Ali Murtaza, who was smashed for 45 in two overs, Gayle showed an almost supernatural ability to find the middle of the bat repeatedly. Pune Warriors’ defeat by 130 runs was the second-biggest loss in IPL history at the time.β
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who scored the highest individual score in IPL history?
Chris Gayle holds the record for the highest individual score in IPL history with an unbeaten 175 off just 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors on April 23, 2013. His knock featured 13 fours and 17 sixes at a strike rate of 265.15.
2. What are the best innings of IPL?
Chris Gayle’s 175*, Brendon McCullum’s 158*, Suresh Raina’s 87 off 25 balls, and Yusuf Pathan’s 72* off 22 balls.β
3. What are the top 10 highest scores in IPL?
Chris Gayle 175*, Abhishek Sharma 141, Quinton de Kock 140*, KL Rahul 132*, AB de Villiers 133*, AB de Villiers 129*, Brendon McCullum 158*, Suresh Raina 87*, David Miller 101*, Yusuf Pathan 72*.β
4. Who scored 87 runs in 25 balls?
Suresh Raina for Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2014 Qualifier 2.
