Highest successful chases in T20s (Source: AFP)
Piling up massive totals has become the new normal in Twenty20 cricket these days. In modern-day cricket, batters have a knack for going berserk from the first ball, sparing no bowler regardless of their stature in world cricket.
Earlier, batting was about the ‘hit and laugh’ philosophy, but today, it's all about ‘hit, hit and hit’.
While massive scores are a regular feature, successful chases of such daunting targets are the new trend. In recent times, several teams across the globe have risen to the occasion and pulled off impossible-looking targets to etch their names in the list of the highest successful chases in T20s.
That being said, this article combines the top 5 most successful chases in Twenty20 cricket till 16th July 2026.
List of the 5 highest successful run chases in T20s
5) Sunrisers Hyderabad (247 runs) vs Punjab Kings, April 12, 2025
The 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League saw many batting records being shattered. Some of which were: Most aggregate runs in a single tournament (26,281), most sixes in an edition (1,294), and most 200+ totals (52). Apart from that, the same season saw SRH chase a historic 247 runs to beat PBKS by 8 wickets.
On a highly batting-friendly pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, PBKS won the toss. Batting first, the Kings posted an imposing 245-7 in their 20 overs, anchored by a stellar 82 runs off 36 balls from Shreyas Iyer.
In reply, the home team mounted the second-highest successful run chase in IPL history, reaching the 247/2 with 9 balls to spare. The opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head dismantled the Punjab bowling attack, putting together a blistering 171-run partnership in just 12.2 overs.
4) Middlesex (254 runs) vs Surrey, June 22, 2023
In 2023, Middlesex set a new T20 Blast record, the highest successful run chase to beat Surrey by seven wickets in a thrilling London derby at the Kia Oval.
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Surrey posted 252-7 from their 20 overs, with Will Jacks scoring 96 off 45 balls and Laurie Evans 85 off 37 as they put on an opening partnership of 177 in 12.4 overs. But Middlesex set off aggressively in their chase. Lastly, Jack Davies scored the winning runs with four balls to go.
3) South Africa (259 runs) vs West Indies, March 26, 2023
In a thriller at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa played a thrilling knock against the West Indies. In a historic and record-breaking match, the Proteas chased down the West Indies’ massive total of 258 runs to win by 6 wickets with 7 balls to spare.
SA’s 259-run chase broke the previous world record for the highest successful run chase in men’s T20I history, surpassing Australia’s 245 vs New Zealand in 2018 (among ICC full-member nations).
2) Punjab Kings (262 runs) vs Kolkata Knight Riders, April 26, 2024
In 2024, Punjab Kings chased down a mammoth target of 262 set by the Kolkata Knight Riders, rewriting history. Punjab won the match by 8 wickets with 8 balls to spare, marking the highest successful run-chase in T20 cricket history at the time.
Requiring a massive 13.1 runs over, PBKS put on a clinic in aggressive T20 batting to chase the target. English batter Jonny Bairstow was the star of the chase, smashing an unbeaten 108 runs off just 48 deliveries, hitting 8 fours and 9 sixes.
1) Washington Freedom (267 runs) vs MI New York, July 16, 2026
Steve Smith-led Washington Freedom on Wednesday created history to surpass the Punjab Kings to rank top among the highest successful run chases in T20s. Chasing down a whopping target of 267 posted by MI New York in the Eliminator of Major League Cricket 2026, WF were home with 8 balls to spare.
In a rematch of the MLC 2025 final, New York put up a daunting target, followed by Nicholas Pooran’s blistering 31-ball century coupled with Kieron Pollard’s late cameo.
Notably, the chase got off to a disastrous start as Washington slumped to 10/2 in the third over. But Andries Gous and captain Smith launched a brilliant counterattack, turning the match in their favour.
Gour and Smith stitched together a brilliant 241-run partnership off just 89 deliveries, before Glenn Maxwell sealed the victory with a six.
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