In the shortest format of cricket, it is argued that a batsman always seems to have the overwhelming advantage. Cricket fans have watched numerous contests in the IPL’s history where a batsman hit 100+ runs in an inning. In the IPL, batsmen like Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum have blasted even 150+ runs in a single inning. In 2013, Chris Gayle of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team scored the highest score in the IPL while playing against the Pune Warriors.
List of IPL Highest Individual Score in IPL History
| Batsman | Score | Team | Against | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle | 175* | RCB | Pune Warriors | 23 Apr 2013 |
| Brendon McCullum | 158* | KKR | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 18 Apr 2008 |
| Quinton de Kock | 140* | LSG | Kolkata Knight Riders | 18 May 2022 |
| AB de Villiers | 133* | RCB | Mumbai Indians | 10 May 2015 |
| KL Rahul | 132* | PBKS | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 24 Sep 2020 |
| AB de Villiers | 129* | RCB | Gujarat Lions | 14 May 2016 |
| Shubman Gill | 129 | GT | Mumbai Indians | 26 May 2023 |
| Chris Gayle | 128* | RCB | Delhi Capitals | 17 May 2012 |
| Rishabh Pant | 128* | DC | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 10 May 2018 |
| Murali Vijay | 127 | CSK | Rajasthan Royals | 3 Apr 2010 |
| David Warner | 126 | SRH | Kolkata Knight Riders | 30 Apr 2017 |
| Jos Buttler | 124 | RR | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2 May 2021 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 124 | RR | Mumbai Indians | 30 April 2023 |
So, let’s take a deeper look at some of the IPL batters that scored big:
Chris Gayle (175* Runs in 2013)
Chris Gayle, the West Indies’ left-handed opener, retains the record for the highest score in the history of the IPL. This lefty hitter accomplished this achievement while playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in a match against the Pune Warriors in Bengaluru in 2013, when he scored an unbeaten 175 runs off 66 balls, the highest score by any batsman in the IPL. He not only performed well with the bat but also with the ball as he took 2 wickets in that match. Gayle’s 175” helped RCB to reach a total of 263 runs, on the other hand, Pune could make 133 runs and thus RCB won the match by 130 runs.
Brendon McCullum (158* Runs in 2008)
Brendon McCullum, the former New Zealand captain, scored 158* runs for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first season of the IPL, putting him in the second position on the list of IPL highest score batsman. McCullum scored an undefeated 158 runs off 3 balls in the first match of the 2008 season against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru, helping KKR to a total of 222 runs. In response, RCB succumbed under the pressure of a large target and was wiped out for only 82 runs.
AB de Villiers (133* Runs in 2015)
The former South African batter, AB de Villers was included in the RCB squad in IPL and he is listed at the number 3rd position for hitting the highest score in the IPL. While playing against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede, the home ground of Mumbai, de Villiers smashed unbeaten 133 runs that helped RCB to set a total of 235 runs. In reply, Mumbai could make only 196 runs, and thus Mumbai won the match by 39 runs.
KL Rahul (132* Runs in 2020)
KL Rahul’s 132 not out is the highest score by any Indian in the history of IPL and he is at the number 4th position for overall highest scores. He played as a captain for Punjab Kings in 2020 and struck 132 runs against RCB in the 6th match of IPL at Dubai (DSC), his unbeaten 132 runs helped Punjab to add a total of 206 and became the pillar of the Kings XI Punjab’s victory over the Royal Challengers Bangalore by 97 runs. Rahul made his first fifty in 36 balls and then struck his second fifty in just 26 balls.
AB de Villiers (129* Runs in 2016)
The 5th highest score in the IPL is AB de Villiers’ undefeated 132 runs from 52 balls. In the 44th match of the IPL 2016, AB batted for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and scored 132 runs while remaining unbeaten, helping the team achieve a total of 248 runs. Gujarat, in response, couldn’t manage the strain of a huge target and was bowled out for 104 runs, allowing RCB to win by 144 runs.