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Shikhar Dhawan (L) and Virat Kohli (R) (Source: AFP)
In IPL, launching the attack against the opposition bowlers in the powerplay has been one of the biggest skill sets, elevating many batters to be the legends in the tournament’s history. There have been the batters in the tournament’s history who became synonymous with fear for the bowlers in the first six overs.
Openers setting an aggressive tone in the first six overs have helped the teams to post big totals on numerous occasions in the league's history. Hence, here’s a look at the five batters with the most runs in powerplay in the tournament.
5 Batters with most runs in powerplay in IPL history
5. Rohit Sharma - 2384 runs
Former MI captain and the batting stalwart, Rohit Sharma, is the second leading run-scorer of all time in the tournament. He has scored 7046 runs in 267 innings, including two centuries and 47 half-centuries. Rohit has established his reputation as an explosive opening batter over the years in the tournament.
In the powerplay phase, Rohit has scored 2384 runs in 183 innings at an average of 28.72, hitting 265 fours and 109 sixes. He is fifth in the list of the top five batters with the most runs in powerplay in the tournament's history. Apart from this, he is second in the list of the batter with the most sixes in the first six overs.
4. Ajinkya Rahane - 2557 runs
Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane is set to lead the three-time champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, in the upcoming IPL 2026. He also led KKR in the last season. Rahane has been one of the top-performing batters in the tournament’s history.
The 37-year-old has scored 5032 runs in 183 innings, at an average of 30.49, including two centuries and 33 half-centuries. Interestingly, Rahane has scored more than half of his IPL career runs in the first six overs, aggregating 2557 runs in 168 innings, averaging 35.51 and recording 12 half-centuries.
3. Virat Kohli - 3117 runs
Former RCB skipper and the modern-day batting great, Virat Kohli, is currently the leading run-scorer in IPL history. The 37-year-old batting maestro has scored 8661 runs in 267 matches, of which he came to bat on 259 occasions. He has scored these runs at an average of 39.54, smashing eight centuries and 63 half-centuries.
Apart from that, Virat Kohli has been one of the most efficient batters in powerplay phase in the tournament. He has scored 3117 runs in 208 innings at an amazing batting average of 45.17, hitting 389 fours and 76 sixes in initial six overs of the innings.
Kohli is placed at the third spot among the top five batters with the most runs in powerplay in the IPL history.
2. David Warner - 3316 runs
Australia batting great David Warner played in 15 IPL seasons over his 15-year career, missing only the 2018 edition. He represented the Delhi Capitals and the Sunrisers Hyderabad in his career in the league. Besides that, Warner led Sunrisers Hyderabad to win their maiden title in the 2016 season.
Speaking of his batting excellence in the powerplay phase, Warner aggregated 3316 runs in 175 innings at a brilliant average of 44.21, hitting 432 fours and 105 sixes.
In what seems to be a rare achievement as a batter, Warner scored six half-centuries in the first six-over phase, being the first batter to do so.
1. Shikhar Dhawan - 3415 runs
Former veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan represented five franchise teams in his 16-year-long IPL career across 17 editions. In his journey in the league, Dhawan missed batting on just one occasion in 222 matches, and scored 6769 runs at an average of 35.25, hitting two centuries and 51 half-centuries.
Out of these runs, Dhawan scored more than half of his IPL career’s total runs only in the powerplay. During this phase, the southpaw scored 3415 runs in 214 innings at an average of 36.33, hitting 455 fours and 76 sixes. He ranks first in the list of the top five batters with the most runs in this phase in the league's history.
