The powerplay in an IPL game is the first 6 overs of a 20-over innings that both teams play. Field restrictions apply during this time. Only 2 fielders are allowed outside the inner circle. This is why the highest powerplay score in IPL often happens in these overs. Many fans search for IPL powerplay highest score. They also search for highest score in powerplay in IPL. This period can fully change the match. That is why the powerplay highest score in IPL is seen as a match-turning moment.
The First Six Overs: Why the Powerplay Defines the IPL
In IPL, powerplay overs are treated as the base of a winning total. Dean Jones shared a major stat. In IPL cricket, 74% of teams that win the powerplay win the match and which shows how important the first six overs are in T20 cricket strategy. Teams aim for the IPL powerplay highest score possible. A big example came in IPL 2014. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma smashed 125 runs in 6 overs for SRH against DC and this became the highest powerplay score of all time. It broke the earlier record of 107 runs made by SRH the same season. Records like this prove how much momentum powerplay hitting can create.
The All-Time Record: Highest Powerplay Score in IPL History
The Day Sunrisers Hyderabad Scored 125 in 6 Overs
The highest powerplay score in IPL history was by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2024 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, and in the first six overs Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma smashed 125 runs which broke the old record of 105 by KKR in 2017, and in that match Abhishek Sharma scored 46 off 11 balls before getting out, and Travis Head made a fastest fifty in the third over and finished with 89 off 32 balls
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma: The Architects of Destruction
In SRH vs DC 2024 Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma attacked from the start and kept pushing the scoring every over, and SRH reached 83/0 in 4 overs with Head completing his half-century, and then Abhishek targeted Kuldeep Yadav hitting three sixes with the last one taking SRH to 100 inside 5 overs, and this partnership became the main reason for the 125 powerplay, and Abhishek also scored 485 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s at a strike rate of 192.46
Top 5 Highest Scores in Powerplay in IPL (Full List)
The top 5 powerplay scores in IPL show how fast teams start now with SRH 125/0 vs DC in 2024, followed by 107/0 vs Lucknow Super Giants in 2024, KKR 105/0 vs RCB in 2017, CSK 100/2 vs Punjab Kings in 2014, and SRH 94/1 vs Rajasthan Royals in 2025
| Year | Team | Powerplay Score | Opposition | Venue |
| 2024 | SRH | 125/0 | DC | Delhi |
| 2024 | SRH | 107/0 | LSG | Hyderabad |
| 2017 | KKR | 105/0 | RCB | Bengaluru |
| 2014 | CSK | 100/2 | PBKS | Mumbai |
| 2025 | SRH | 94/1 | RR | Hyderabad |
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants (107/0)
SRH also scored 107/0 vs Lucknow Super Giants on May 8, 2024 while chasing 163 in one of the highest successful run chases in IPL and they reached 107 in 6 overs without losing any wicket, and Travis Head made 89 off 30 balls hitting 8 fours and 8 sixes, and Abhishek Sharma scored 75 off 28 balls with 8 fours and 6 sixes, and SRH finished the chase in 9.4 overs in one of the fastest wins in IPL history
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (105/0)
In 2017 KKR scored 105/0 vs RCB in first six overs, and Chris Lynn made 50 off 22 balls and Sunil Narine hit 54 off 17 balls, and KKR chased 159/4 in 15.1 overs easily, and this record stayed until 2024
Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab (100/2)
CSK scored 100/2 in IPL 2014 vs Punjab Kings and Suresh Raina made 87 off 25 balls while chasing 226/6 set by PBKS with Sehwag scoring 122 off 58, and CSK finished 202/7 losing by 24 runs but became first team to cross 100 in powerplay
2025 Update: Which Team Dominated the Power Play Last Season?
In IPL 2025 SRH again dominated powerplay and scored highest 94/1 vs Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad and it was the biggest highlight, and Rajasthan Royals had highest average powerplay scoring 65.29 per innings at 10.88 RPO, and Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 369 runs in 14 innings and Sai Sudharsan 323 runs, and Sudharsan won the Orange Cap with 759 runs, and Abhishek Sharma scored 439 in 14 matches including 141 off 55 balls vs PBKS and reached No.1 in T20I rankings with 931 points
The Impact of the “Two Bouncer” Rule on Scoring Rates
IPL 2025 started very high scoring but later scoring dropped, and Two Bouncer rule and Second Ball rule changed batting, and in first 10 matches run rate was 9.91 and teams crossed 190 runs 10 times, and Two Bouncer rule allowed two short balls per over which made batters play more carefully, and death over run rates dropped from 10+ to 9.3, and Second Ball rule replaced wet ball after 11th over in second innings to reduce dew advantage, and in DC vs LSG match ball changed in 13th over and next ball was a wicket, and spinners took 118 wickets, and Abhishek Sharma was targeted with bouncers but still scored 141 off 55 balls with strike rate dropping from 204.22 to 193.39 and sixes from 42 to 28 and powerplay strike rate from 202.95 to 193.00
The “Travishek” Factor: How Head & Sharma Changed the Game
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma opening partnership called “Travishek” broke many records, and in SRH vs LSG May 2024 they chased 166 in 58 balls with Head 89 off 30* and Abhishek 75 off 28*, and earlier that season they scored 125-run powerplay vs DC, and together they made 41% of SRH’s runs that season, and SRH coach Daniel Vettori said they are aggressive but not reckless and sometimes get out playing big shots
The Verdict: Will the 125-Run Record Ever Be Broken?
The 125-run powerplay record is very hard to break, and in IPL 2025 highest was 94/1 by SRH and 90/1 by KKR showing 2024 peaks cooled, and bowlers have more control with Two Bouncer rule and saliva for swing and use slower bouncers and hard length, and Powerplay run rate dropped to 9.01 as pitches slowed, and still with Impact Player rule and batting-friendly pitches, it can happen anytime, and 300 in a match is now not fantasy
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