Highest Powerplay Scores of KKR in IPL: Explosive Starts

Kolkata Knight Riders have produced some of the most aggressive Powerplay batting displays in IPL history. From Brendon McCullum and Gautam Gambhir in the early years to Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Phil Salt and other modern attackers, KKR have repeatedly used the first six overs to put opposition bowlers under immediate pressure.

Their most famous Powerplay came against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2017, when Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn smashed 105 without loss in Bengaluru. At the time, it was the highest Powerplay score ever recorded in the IPL, and the record stood for almost seven years.

KKR’s approach became even more aggressive during their title-winning 2024 campaign. They recorded several of their highest-ever Powerplay totals in that season, with Narine and Phil Salt consistently attacking from the first over. In 2025, KKR added another major entry when they raced to 90/1 against Lucknow Super Giants.

The table below lists KKR’s highest scores after the first six overs from 2008 through the completed 2026 IPL season.

Highest Powerplay Scores of KKR in IPL History

KKR have crossed 70 runs in a Powerplay on at least 12 occasions, with seven of those performances coming during the 2024 season alone. Their top 10 list shows two distinct aggressive eras: the Lynn-Narine phase of 2017 and the Narine-Salt-led approach of 2024 and 2025.

1. KKR – 105/0 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

KKR’s 105/0 against RCB on May 7, 2017 remains their highest Powerplay total in IPL history.

Royal Challengers Bangalore had scored 158/6 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Instead of opening with captain Gautam Gambhir, KKR made the aggressive decision to send Sunil Narine alongside Chris Lynn.

The move worked spectacularly.

Narine attacked almost immediately and reached his fifty from only 15 balls, equalling the then-fastest IPL half-century record. Lynn was equally dangerous at the other end and helped maintain the scoring rate throughout the six-over fielding restrictions.

KKR reached 50 in just 21 balls and completed their 100-run opening partnership inside the Powerplay. By the end of six overs, they were 105/0.

The partnership contained 11 fours and eight sixes during the Powerplay alone. At the time, 105/0 was not only KKR’s highest Powerplay score but also the highest by any team in IPL history.

Narine eventually scored 54 from 17 balls, while Lynn made 50 from 22. KKR completed the chase in 15.1 overs and won by six wickets.

2. KKR – 90/1 vs Lucknow Super Giants

KKR produced their second-highest Powerplay total while chasing a massive 239 against Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens in 2025.

The required rate demanded immediate aggression, and KKR responded accordingly.

Quinton de Kock struck two sixes before being dismissed for 15, but the wicket did not slow the innings. Sunil Narine and captain Ajinkya Rahane continued attacking the LSG bowling unit.

Narine raced to 30 from 13 balls, while Rahane played aggressively from the start. KKR finished the Powerplay on 90/1, their highest six-over score since the famous 105/0 against RCB eight years earlier.

The start placed KKR ahead of the required run rate. They had reached 129/2 after 10 overs and appeared capable of completing another huge chase.

However, LSG’s bowlers eventually recovered and prevented Kolkata from maintaining the Powerplay tempo. The innings showed that even a 90-run first six overs does not guarantee victory when the target is close to 240.

3. KKR – 88/1 vs Delhi Capitals

KKR’s 88/1 against Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam was one of the defining Powerplay performances of their 2024 championship season.

Sunil Narine dominated the attack and finished the sixth over with consecutive boundaries against Rasikh Dar. KKR reached 88/1 at the end of the fielding restrictions, which was their second-highest Powerplay total at the time.

Narine’s individual contribution was particularly destructive. He went on to make 85 from only 39 balls, hitting seven fours and seven sixes.

The Powerplay laid the foundation for KKR’s enormous 272/7, which became their highest IPL team total at the time.

Delhi never seriously recovered from the pressure created during those opening six overs. KKR eventually won comfortably, and the innings helped establish Narine as much more than a temporary pinch-hitting experiment.

4. KKR – 85/0 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Bengaluru has repeatedly produced explosive starts for KKR, and their 2024 meeting with RCB provided another example.

Chasing 183, Phil Salt attacked Mohammed Siraj in the opening over with two sixes and a four. Narine then took over and punished both pace and slower deliveries.

The opening pair reached 50 from only 21 balls before finishing the Powerplay on 85/0. Narine had already struck five sixes during the early phase, while Salt ensured that RCB could not concentrate entirely on stopping his partner.

Their opening stand eventually reached 86 in 6.3 overs.

Narine made 47 from 22 deliveries and Salt scored 30 from 20. Venkatesh Iyer later added a 30-ball fifty as KKR completed the chase with seven wickets remaining.

The performance was an early sign of how successful the Narine-Salt combination would become during the 2024 season.

5. KKR – 79/0 vs Delhi Capitals

KKR produced another excellent Powerplay against Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens later in the 2024 season.

This time, Phil Salt played the leading role at the top of the order. KKR reached 79 without losing a wicket during the first six overs, giving themselves complete control of the chase.

The innings came during a season in which Kolkata repeatedly treated the Powerplay as an attacking opportunity rather than a phase to preserve wickets. Seven of KKR’s 12 Powerplays of 70 or more runs through the latest records came in 2024.

Narine and Salt were central to that change in approach. Their contrasting styles worked well together: Narine attacked with powerful swings through the leg side and straight boundaries, while Salt combined conventional strokeplay with strong hitting square of the wicket.

That partnership became one of the biggest reasons KKR consistently entered the middle overs ahead of the game.

KKR’s Best Powerplay Batters

Sunil Narine

No player has influenced KKR’s Powerplay batting more dramatically than Sunil Narine.

Originally signed as a specialist mystery spinner, Narine gradually developed into one of the IPL’s most dangerous opening hitters. His transformation began with his promotion in 2017 and reached another level in 2024.

During KKR’s first three matches of the 2024 season, Narine scored 134 runs at a strike rate above 200. His performances included 47 against RCB and 85 against Delhi Capitals.

He finished the season with 488 runs and 33 sixes overall, while repeatedly giving Kolkata rapid starts.

Chris Lynn

Chris Lynn formed one of KKR’s most destructive opening combinations with Narine.

His most memorable contribution came during the 105/0 Powerplay against RCB in 2017. Lynn finished with 50 from 22 balls and ensured that Narine’s aggression never allowed the scoring rate to fall at the opposite end.

Power, strong hitting against pace and the ability to clear short boundaries made Lynn particularly dangerous during the fielding restrictions.

Phil Salt

Phil Salt became a vital part of KKR’s aggressive 2024 strategy.

Salt and Narine combined to strike at more than 178 during the Powerplay during the first half of the season. Their partnership averaged more than 56 and repeatedly placed the middle order in favorable situations.

Salt hit 17 sixes in Powerplays during IPL 2024, placing him among the competition’s leading early-overs six-hitters that season.

Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir played a different role from Narine, Lynn or Salt. He was less explosive but provided stability while allowing aggressive partners to attack.

During KKR’s championship years under his captaincy, Gambhir frequently used the Powerplay to build strong opening partnerships rather than depending purely on six-hitting.

His willingness to experiment also helped create KKR’s later aggressive identity. The decision to use Narine as an opener became one of the franchise’s most successful tactical innovations.

Most Sixes in a KKR Powerplay

KKR’s record 105/0 against RCB in 2017 remains their most famous Powerplay six-hitting performance.

Narine and Lynn combined for eight sixes during the first six overs, alongside 11 fours. The pair therefore struck 19 boundaries during the Powerplay.

Narine hit four sixes in his 54, while Lynn also cleared the rope four times during the record phase.

KKR’s 2024 Powerplays produced another sustained period of six-hitting. Phil Salt hit 17 Powerplay sixes during that season, while Narine was also a major contributor to Kolkata’s early-overs boundary rate.

Against RCB in Bengaluru, Narine struck five sixes in his 47 from 22 deliveries, helping KKR race to 85/0 after six overs.

The pattern shows how KKR’s Powerplay strategy evolved. Earlier teams often looked for boundaries through conventional opening batting, but the modern KKR approach has placed far greater emphasis on clearing the ropes before fielders can move outside the circle.

Famous KKR Powerplay Performances

Narine’s 15-Ball Fifty Against RCB

Narine’s 2017 attack remains the most iconic individual Powerplay innings in KKR history.

He reached fifty from just 15 deliveries and completely disrupted RCB’s bowling plans. The performance helped KKR score 105/0, which remained the IPL Powerplay record until SRH made 125/0 in 2024.

Narine and Salt Transform KKR in 2024

KKR’s championship campaign was built partly around Powerplay aggression.

Narine and Salt combined for multiple rapid opening stands and struck at 178.03 together during the Powerplay over the first eight games of the season.

Their ability to attack without depending on both batters succeeding in the same match made the partnership particularly effective.

88/1 Sets Up 272 Against Delhi

KKR’s 88/1 against Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam showed how an explosive Powerplay can create the platform for a huge first-innings total.

Rather than slowing after the fielding restrictions ended, Kolkata continued attacking and eventually reached 272/7. Narine’s 85 was followed by another aggressive contribution from Angkrish Raghuvanshi.

90/1 While Chasing 239

The 90/1 against LSG in 2025 was notable because it came while chasing one of the largest targets KKR had faced.

Rahane and Narine ensured Kolkata remained close to the required rate, demonstrating that KKR’s attacking Powerplay identity continued even after their 2024 title campaign.

Why KKR Have Become Such a Strong Powerplay Team

KKR’s strongest Powerplay seasons have usually involved unconventional thinking.

Promoting Narine was the clearest example. Instead of expecting him to bat like a traditional opener, Kolkata gave him permission to attack from the first delivery. This forced opponents to change bowling plans immediately.

The franchise later paired him with naturally aggressive players such as Lynn and Salt. That reduced the risk of the scoring rate collapsing if Narine failed.

The numbers from 2024 underline the effectiveness of that approach. KKR recorded seven Powerplays of 70 or more runs during that season and eventually won their third IPL championship.

Their record 105/0 may no longer be the highest Powerplay total in overall IPL history, but it remains one of the league’s most important examples of aggressive opening strategy.

FAQs

What is KKR’s highest Powerplay score in IPL history?

KKR’s highest Powerplay score is 105/0 against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bengaluru in 2017. Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn remained unbeaten throughout the first six overs.

What is KKR’s second-highest Powerplay score?

KKR’s second-highest Powerplay total is 90/1 against Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens in 2025.

How many times have KKR scored 70 or more in the Powerplay?

KKR have recorded at least 12 Powerplay totals of 70 or more runs. Seven of those performances came during the 2024 season.

Who scored the fastest fifty during KKR’s record 105-run Powerplay?

Sunil Narine reached his fifty from 15 balls against RCB in 2017. It equalled the then-fastest IPL fifty record.

How many sixes did KKR hit during their 105/0 Powerplay?

Narine and Lynn combined for eight sixes during the first six overs. They also struck 11 fours, producing 19 boundaries in total.

Which KKR opening pair dominated the Powerplay in IPL 2024?

Sunil Narine and Phil Salt were KKR’s main opening pair in 2024. They combined to score at a strike rate above 178 during Powerplays in the first half of the season and repeatedly gave Kolkata aggressive starts.