IPL Records: Top 10 Players with Highest Strike Rate

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has gained popularity in recent years and is now considered one of the top T20 leagues in the world. There are other competitions, including as the Big Bash League (BBL) and the SA20, but the IPL has its own unique appeal.

Players from all over the world compete in the competition, showcasing their talents in front of the audience. They also utilize their IPL performance to reach out to members of the selection committee.

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin on March 22 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders. It will be a competitive game because both sides have very strong players following the big auction.

In addition, KKR plans to defend its crown this year. They won their third title after a ten-year hiatus. However, there will be other teams vying for the prize. One of them is the Mumbai Indians (MI), who have not won a title since 2020. Under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, the franchise hopes to regain form in the forthcoming competition.

Well, the IPL has become famous for strikers like Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, who prefer to attack the bowler from the first ball of the match. But before them, there were some great players like Andre Russell and Glenn Maxwell, who were just superb with the bat and had a high strike rate. This article will focus on hitters with high strike rates in the IPL.

1. Andre Russell

Andre Russell of KKR, sometimes known as ‘Russell-Muscle’, now has the greatest strike rate in the competition. Russell, undoubtedly one of the tournament’s top all-rounders, is well-known for his middle-overs batting. He has recused KKR from uncomfortable circumstances several times, thus the club has always had faith in him and maintained him. He has played 96 games and scored 2262 runs with a strike rate of 174. He inspires many young hitters who are just starting out in cricket.

2. Heinrich Klaasen

Heinrich Klaasen, who is fresh to the competition and plays for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has terrorised the bowlers with his boundaries and maximums. He enjoys challenging bowlers from the opening ball. In 17 games, his strikeout rate is 165.81. He has undoubtedly improved the SRH batting line-up in the middle order, allowing them to score heavily in the competition. His appearance in the following season will be interesting to observe.

3. Liam Livingstone

England’s Liam Livingstone is another stunning but dangerous hitter in the event, with a strike rate of 165.60 in 32 games. While the player has not played many games, he was with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the previous IPL season, but RCB acquired him in the super auction 2024. He will now don the red jersey and hammer the bowlers for massive sixes at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The ground is already short, which will give him an advantage.

4. Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine’s move from lower-middle order batter to opener enabled the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to add an outstanding batsman to their top order. Narine’s batting performance improved immediately, helping KKR win games. Indeed, his bat performances from the previous season were a major factor for KKR’s finals success. His strike rate in 96 games is 159.69, and he has 1046 runs.

5. Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma is a skilled batsman who is noted for smacking big sixes against the league’s finest bowlers. He formerly played for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and will now represent the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the next competition. He hasn’t played much of the game yet, but in 24 games, he has showed the world what he is made of. His strike rate is 159.24, which is just incredible.

6. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell, the Australian all-rounder, has a distinct fan base in India thanks to his game. The IPL game provided him with an opportunity to exhibit his talent, and he took full use of it. Every cricket fan recalls the 2014 season, when Maxwell wrecked havoc on bowlers throughout the competition. He was at KXIP at the time. Even after more than 100 games, his strike rate has not fallen, which speaks much about the player. In 120 games, the hitter has scored 2719 runs with a strikeout rate of 157.62.

7. Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran, another West Indies hitter, is popular with the Indian fans because he keeps them interested at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, where any batter’s strike rate suffers as a result. The pitches mainly favour bowlers, limiting hitters’ ability to score extra runs, especially during powerplays. Pooran has maintained a strike rate of 156.79, higher than Sehwag, despite the tough conditions. Pooran previously competed for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and was retained by the organisation.

8. Virender Sehwag

The cricket community is aware of what Virender Sehwag has accomplished in his career. He was one of the finest openers India has ever had. But in the IPL, he exuded a distinct air. He played for the Delhi Daredevils (DD) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), scoring 2728 runs in 104 matches. He has also scored a century in the event. Interestingly, his strike rate in the league is 155.44. He was an excellent hitter, and his past clubs will undoubtedly miss his presence.

9. Chris Morris

Chris Morris of South Africa is another top all-rounder who has played for several IPL clubs, notably RR and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). When he came to bat, he was sure to knock a couple of maximums and scare the bowler. While his numbers aren’t outstanding since he was a lower-middle order batter, his strike rate is higher than Hetmyer. Morris played 51 games and scored 618 runs with a strike rate of 155.28. He won several games for the teams he was on, despite not having a consistent hitter on the opposite end.

10. Shimrom Hetmyer

West Indies’ batter Shimron Hetmyer played with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL for quite a long time. The player is famous for hitting the balls out of the park frequently. Moreover, if we talk about his strike-rate in the tournament, in 57 games, he has scored 1131 runs, at a strike-rate of 152.22, which is just outstanding. Hence, it wouldn’t be wrong to call him one of the best strikers of the ball in the shortest format of the game.

Top 10 Highest Strike Rate in IPL History