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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the biggest cricket tournament to take place across the globe. And it is never easy to perform in this competition, whether you are a local or international player. However, the toughest part of the IPL tournament is the playoff stage. The top four best teams make the playoffs every season, and one of them goes on to win the title.
But a successful team always needs players who can do well in pressure situations. Here we will talk about the top run scorers in the IPL knockouts. A playoff stage has two qualifiers, one eliminator, and then the final. So let’s check out this elite list.
| Batters | Inns | Runs | Avg | SR | HS | 50/100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suresh Raina | 24 | 714 | 37.57 | 155.21 | 87 | 7/0 |
| MS Dhoni | 22 | 523 | 37.35 | 132.40 | 63* | 2/0 |
| Shubman Gill | 9 | 435 | 54.37 | 142.15 | 129 | 1/1 |
| Shane Watson | 12 | 389 | 35.36 | 151.36 | 117* | 3/1 |
| Michael Hussey | 11 | 388 | 38.80 | 124.35 | 86* | 4/0 |
| Faf du Plessis | 14 | 373 | 28.69 | 130.87 | 86 | 3/0 |
| Murali Vijay | 10 | 364 | 36.40 | 147.36 | 113 | 1/1 |
| Dwayne Smith | 11 | 351 | 31.90 | 148.10 | 73 | 4/0 |
| Kieron Pollard | 17 | 341 | 26.23 | 169.65 | 60* | 1/0 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 18 | 330 | 18.33 | 106.10 | 78 | 1/0 |
Top Run-Scorers in the IPL Knockouts
10. Shikhar Dhawan
Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan is one of the few non-CSK players on this list. Dhawan is still going strong and has represented five different teams in the IPL. He has been part of the playoff stage for SRH, MI, and DC. The left-hander has played 18 knockout matches and scored 330 runs at an average of 18.33 and a best of 78.
9. Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard made his IPL debut in 2010 and retired in 2022, playing for Mumbai Indians throughout. He was a core player for MI and was one of the reasons for them winning five titles. Pollard played 17 knockout matches and scored 341 runs at an incredible strike rate of 169.65 with a best of 60 not out.
8. Dwayne Smith
Dwayne Smith played nine seasons of the IPL between 2008 and 2017. He was part of Deccan Chargers, MI, CSK, and GL, respectively. And he played playoff games for all four franchises. Overall, Smith played 11 knockout matches and scored 351 runs at a strike rate of 148.10 with four half-centuries.
7. Murali Vijay
Former Indian opener Murali Vijay played in the IPL between 2009 and 2020. He represented CSK, DC, and PBKS in his IPL stint. But his successful moments came with the CSK. Murali played ten playoff games for them and scored 364 runs at 36.40 and a strike rate of 147.36 with one hundred and one fifty.
6. Faf Du Plessis
Veteran star Faf du Plessis was a key player for the Chennai Super Kings for years. He played for CSK from 2011 to 2021 and won four titles for the team. He is still the third-highest scorer for the Yellow Army in the tournament. Du Plessis played 14 matches in his career during the playoff stages and scored 373 runs at an average of 28.69 and a strike rate of 130.87 with a high score of 86. He also had three half-centuries to his name.
5. Mike Hussey
Former Australian star and current CSK coach Mike Hussey is another player who has good numbers in the IPL knockouts. The Southpaw made his IPL debut in 2008 and played until 2015. He was part of MI in 2014 and played for CSK in all the remaining seasons. Hussey played 11 playoff matches and scored 388 runs at an average and strike rate of 38.80 and 124.35, respectively. He scored 4 four half-centuries with a best of 86 not out.
4. Shane Watson
Shane Watson retired from the IPL in 2020, and he still holds the record for the highest individual score by an overseas batter in the IPL knockouts. Watson played playoff games for RR, RCB, and CSK as well. Overall, he played 12 games in the playoffs and scored 389 runs at 35.36 with a strike rate of 151.36. He scored three centuries and one century, with a best of 117 not out.
3. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill is the only player who is a non-CSK batter in the top seven of this list. Gill has been part of the playoff stage for both KKR and GT. He played 9 playoff matches and scored 435 runs at 54.37 with a strike rate of 142.15, with the best individual score of 129.
2. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni has made the most playoff appearances and has made 13 playoff seasons in his career, so his presence is understandable on this list. Dhoni has played 22 playoff matches so far and scored 523 runs at 37.35 with two half-centuries and a best of 63 not out.
1. Suresh Raina
The record for most runs in the IPL knockouts is held by Suresh Raina. Famously known as “Mr. IPL,” he was part of CSK and GL during his career and was a key player in pressure situations. He played until the 2021 season and featured in 24 playoff games. Raina scored 714 runs at 37.57 and a strike rate of 155.21 with seven half-centuries.
