Highest Strike Rate in IPL
What happens when the best cricketers in the world come together to play the best T20 league in the world? Extraordinary entertainment. The Indian Premier League has seen the best in the business send the ball out of the park and play a blinder of an innings. The fastest century in the tournament came off just 30 balls and that was just one of the many fearless innings played in the 13 years of the IPL. Let us take a look at the top 10 batsmen with the highest batting strike rate in the cash-rich league.
Andre Russell: 179.29
One of the finest hitters of the ball, Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell has the highest batting strike rate of 179.29 in the IPL. Russell has been with the Shah Rukh Khan co-owned franchise for more than six seasons now and has produced several one-man shows with both the bat and the ball. In the 2019 season, he scored 510 runs at a strike rate of 204.81 during which he hit 31 boundaries and 52 maximums! In all, the monstrous all-rounder has 1680 IPL runs and 68 wickets from 81 matches.
Sunil Narine – 161.64
The West Indian all-rounder, who put up sensational performances in KKR’s title wins in 2012 and 2014, has been with the side for the last nine years. In his initial couple of years in the IPL, Narine contributed as a pinch hitter lower down the order. But he started opening the innings for KKR in 2017 and went on to become one of their finest openers. In 2018, he scored 357 runs at a strike rate of 189.89 while also picking up 17 wickets. In all, the cricketer with a calm demeanour has 2881 runs and 130 wickets in 123 IPL games.
Moeen Ali – 157.97
The versatile left-handed batter, Moeen Ali has racked up 515 runs at a strike rate of 157.97 after making his IPL debut in 2018 for Royal Challengers Bangalore, before being picked up by Chennai Super Kings before the 2021 season. The batter from England has hit 43 boundaries and 35 maximums in four seasons and has established himself as one of the power hitters in the tournament. After being signed up by CSK in 2021, Ali played six matches in the first leg of the league, in which he hit 206 runs at a strike rate of 157.25 and will be looking to carry the form into the tournament’s second leg beginning September 19 in the UAE.
Nicholas Pooran – 157.75
Another West Indian on the list of best batting strike rates in the IPL is Nicholas Pooran, who was bought by Mumbai Indians for INR 30 lakhs in the 2017 season but did not feature in a single game. The next year, he went unsold at the auctions before being bought by KXIP for INR 4.2 crore for the 2019 season. He scored 168 runs at a strike rate of 157 that season, but was in excellent form the next year, when he scored 353 runs in all the 14 matches at a strike rate of almost 170.
Chris Morris – 157.63
The South African all-rounder, who started his IPL journey in 2013 with CSK, later went on to play for Delhi Capitals and RCB, before being signed up by Rajasthan Royals in 2021 for a whopping amount of INR 16.25 Cr, making him the most expensive buy in the tournament history. Morris has hit 39 fours and 35 sixes from 77 IPL matches, while also picking up 94 wickets. In the first half of IPL 2021, he hit 48 runs at a strike rate of 154.83 and picked up 14 wickets including a four-wicket haul. His ability to clear the fence with ease and bowl yorkers in the death overs make him a sought-after player.
Hardik Pandya – 157.23
Hardik Pandya, one of the biggest names in the Mumbai Indians team, has a strike rate of 157.23 in the 1401 runs he has scored for the franchise in 87 matches. He has hit 91 fours and 95 sixes, making the most of the small boundary at Mumbai’s home ground, Wankhede Stadium. Pandya, who has been with the team during four of their five title wins, has also picked up 42 wickets. Over the years, the younger of the two Pandya brothers has become synonymous with the Ambani-owned franchise and he will be looking to continue his fine form in the upcoming games.
Glenn Maxwell – 153.32
The swashbuckling Aussie batter, who has played for Delhi, Punjab and Mumbai and is currently with RCB, has a strike rate of 153.32 in 89 matches. He was in good form in the first leg of IPL 2021, where he scored 223 runs in seven games at a strike rate of 144.80 before the tournament had to be postponed due to the second wave of Covid19 in India. In all, Maxwell has 1728 runs in the tournament which include 139 fours and 101 sixes.
Ab de Villiers – 152.38
The 360 degree South African batter who plays for RCB, has hit 5056 runs in his IPL career of 176 games at a strike rate of 152.38, during which he has hit 406 fours and 245 sixes! De Villiers scored 207 runs in seven games in IPL 2021’s first leg and will be looking to carry the momentum with him to the UAE.
Kieron Pollard – 150.87
Another long-serving member of the Mumbai Indians, the West Indian all-rounder has scored 3191 runs in his 171-game IPL career at a strike rate of 150.87 which includes 207 fours and 211 sixes. With the ball, he has grabbed 63 wickets. In 2020, he batted at a strike rate of 191.42, helping Mumbai win their fifth IPL trophy.
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