Image: Suresh Raina holds the record for the highest individual score in an IPL powerplay / © The Quint
In the IPL, the power play is when things get really exciting, big hits, quick runs, and batters going all out from ball one. Over the years, a few players have absolutely destroyed the power play and set up massive starts for their teams. Here are some of the most explosive ones:
| Score | Player | Opposition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | Suresh Raina | PBKS | 2014 |
| 84 | Travis Head | DC | 2024 |
| 78 | Jake Fraser-McGurk | MI | 2024 |
| 74 | Adam Gilchrist | DD | 2009 |
| 66 | Abhishek Sharma | PBKS | 2026 |
On 30 May 2014, Chennai Super Kings faced Kings XI Punjab in Qualifier 2 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Punjab posted a huge 226/6, thanks to Virender Sehwag’s 122. Chasing the total, CSK got off to a shaky start, but Suresh Raina took the game by the scruff of the neck.
He smashed 87 runs off just 25 balls during the powerplay, helping CSK race to 100 runs in the first 6 overs. Unfortunately, Raina got run out soon after, and Chennai eventually fell short by 24 runs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting in IPL 2024 was all about explosive starts, and Travis Head was often at the centre of it. In their match against Delhi Capitals on 20 April 2024 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Head went berserk.
Batting first, SRH plundered 125 runs in the powerplay. Head scored 84 of those before getting out for 89 off 32 balls at a strike rate of 278.12. It was one of the most destructive powerplay knocks in recent IPL history.
Delhi Capitals’ home ground at Arun Jaitley Stadium has seen some crazy batting, and Jake Fraser-McGurk produced one of the wildest powerplays of IPL 2024. On 27 April 2024, against the Mumbai Indians, batting first, Fraser-McGurk attacked from the very first ball.
He smashed 78 runs in the powerplay as DC raced to 92 runs in 6 overs. He eventually got out for 84 off just 27 balls (strike rate 311.11), hitting 11 fours and 6 sixes in a breathtaking innings.