Powerplays are one of the most important aspects in the shortest format. There is a stat that says that if a team loses three wickets in the powerplay then there is a 70% chance that the team will end up on the losing side. So, it is important for the batting team to not only lose three wickets in the powerplay but also give a good start to the team.
Generally, if a team scores 50 odd runs in the powerplay then is a good powerplay for the batting team. But there are some batsmen who score 50 in the powerplay on their own. There are players who have hit half-centuries inside the powerplay and have done it on multiple occasions. Who are these aggressive batsmen who have achieved this feat? Let’s have a look at four players who have scored most fifties inside powerplay in IPL history.
4. KL Rahul – 2 times
The KXIP skipper – KL Rahul has scored a fifty in the powerplay twice in the history of the IPL. In IPL 2018, in their first game against Delhi Capitals, KL Rahul took on the bowling and scored a half-century in just 14 balls. This is the fastest fifty in the history of the IPL and KL holds that record.
KL Rahul scored a fifty once again in the powerplay, this time against CSK in 2019 while chasing a modest total. This year, KL Rahul’s strike-rate was a bit on the lower side, but when he gets going, it is tough to stop him.
3. Sunil Narine – 2 times
In 2017, Kolkata Knight Riders came up with this idea of opening with Sunil Narine and it worked wonders for them in the first couple of years. Sunil Narine along with his opening partner, Chris Lynn smashed all the RCB bowlers in the powerplay as they scored 102 in the powerplay and Narine reached his fifty in just 15 balls.
He did it once again against the same opposition in 2018 when he scored a fifty in 17 balls. The opposition teams found a way to dismiss Narine but still, he had a couple of good innings for his team.
2. Chris Gayle – 3 times
The Universe Boss has to be on every list when it comes to scoring quickly. Chris Gayle who is arguably the best T20 batsman ever has achieved this feat thrice in the history of the IPL. You expect him to achieve it more than three times but sometimes he takes his time and then starts going after the bowlers.
Gayle has hit a 30-ball century so you can expect him to hit a fifty inside the powerplay as well. Gayle has said that he will continue in the IPL in 2021, so let’s see if he can do it again before he retires from T20 cricket.
1. David Warner – 6 times
David Warner is one of the finest openers in the history of the IPL. He recently became the first batsman to score 500+ runs in six consecutive seasons which gives an idea about his consistency. He is one of those rare batsmen who can be aggressive and be consistent as well.
The SRH skipper has scored a fifty in the powerplay on six occasions which is double the number of times the next batsman has achieved it. He did it in this IPL as well when he took on Kagiso Rabada and scored a fifty inside the powerplay against Delhi Capitals. David Warner has the ability to achieve this again and again and it seems as if he will remain at the top of this chart for a long time.
