Best KL Rahul Batting Performances in IPL: Class Innings

KL Rahul has been one of the most technically complete Indian batters in IPL history. His batting combines classical timing with the ability to accelerate sharply once he settles, and that balance has allowed him to succeed in very different roles across several franchises.

He began his IPL career in 2013 but became a major run-scorer after moving into a regular top-order role. Since then, Rahul has represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals. Through the completed 2026 season, he has scored more than 5,800 IPL runs and registered six centuries.

His highest score now stands at 152 for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings in 2026, surpassing his famous unbeaten 132 against RCB from 2020. That 152 also became the highest individual IPL score by an Indian batter.

Rahul’s greatest innings have not all looked the same. Some were explosive hundreds, some were patient match-winning chases, and others were lone efforts in losing causes. That variety is exactly what makes his IPL batting record so impressive.

KL Rahul’s Best IPL Batting Performances

most runs against MI, and several of his best scores have come while opening. His later years with Delhi have also added a new dimension, with 112*, 152 and 92 all coming after he moved into a more flexible top-order role.

1. KL Rahul – 152 vs Punjab Kings

Rahul’s highest IPL score came for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings in 2026.

Delhi batted first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and Rahul produced a remarkable 152 from 67 balls. DC finished on 264/2, with Rahul dominating the innings from the top.

The knock combined the two sides of Rahul’s batting.

He began with control rather than reckless hitting, then accelerated as the innings opened up. Once set, he attacked pace and spin equally well and kept finding boundaries without losing shape.

The innings was historically important because it became the highest individual IPL score by an Indian batter. It also pushed Rahul’s career-best mark well beyond the 132* he had held since 2020.

In an extraordinary twist, even 264 was not enough.

Punjab Kings chased 265/4 in only 18.5 overs and won by six wickets. Rahul therefore produced the highest score of his IPL career in a losing cause.

That result does not reduce the quality of the innings. If anything, it shows how extreme modern IPL scoring has become.

2. KL Rahul – 132* vs RCB

For years, Rahul’s unbeaten 132 against Royal Challengers Bangalore was the innings most closely associated with his IPL career.

Playing for Kings XI Punjab in Dubai in 2020, Rahul carried the innings almost from start to finish.

He scored 132 not out from 69 balls, hitting 14 fours and seven sixes. Punjab reached 206/3.

The late acceleration was brutal.

Rahul scored 26 runs from Dale Steyn’s penultimate over and then finished the innings with 4, 6 and 6 against Shivam Dube.

At the time, 132* was the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history.

The innings also came with captaincy responsibility. Rahul was leading Punjab and had to control both the tempo and the risk level of the innings.

The bowlers backed him up perfectly.

RCB were dismissed for only 109, giving Punjab a 97-run victory.

This was one of the clearest examples of Rahul combining an anchor’s responsibility with a finisher’s acceleration.

3. KL Rahul – 112* vs Gujarat Titans

Rahul produced another century for Delhi Capitals against Gujarat Titans in 2025.

Opening the innings in Delhi, he scored 112 not out from 65 balls, including 14 fours and four sixes.

The innings began slowly.

Delhi had only 28 runs after five overs, and the Gujarat bowlers had controlled the Powerplay well.

Rahul then changed gears.

He attacked Kagiso Rabada, began finding gaps consistently and pushed the scoring rate upward without taking unnecessary risks.

He reached his century in 60 balls and eventually carried Delhi to 199/3.

The hundred was also historically important because it made Rahul the first batter to score IPL centuries for three different franchises: Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals.

However, Gujarat produced an outstanding reply.

Sai Sudharsan scored 108* and Shubman Gill made 93* as GT chased 200 without losing a wicket.

Rahul’s 112* therefore joined the list of great IPL hundreds that came in defeat.

4. KL Rahul – 103* vs Mumbai Indians at Brabourne

Rahul’s first century for Lucknow Super Giants came in his 100th IPL match.

Facing Mumbai Indians at Brabourne Stadium in 2022, he scored an unbeaten 103 and guided LSG to 199/4.

That context made the innings special.

Reaching 100 IPL appearances is already an important milestone, and Rahul celebrated it with one of the best performances of his career.

He controlled the innings rather than attacking blindly.

Mumbai’s bowlers regularly changed pace and length, but Rahul continued finding ways to rotate the strike before accelerating late.

Lucknow then defended the total successfully and won by 18 runs.

Rahul’s hundred became the foundation of one of LSG’s strongest early-season victories.

It also started a remarkable sequence against Mumbai.

Only eight days later, he scored another unbeaten 103 against the same opponent.

5. KL Rahul – 103* vs Mumbai Indians at Wankhede

Rahul’s second century against Mumbai Indians in 2022 may have been even more impressive because it came after LSG lost wickets around him.

At Wankhede Stadium, Lucknow struggled for momentum through much of the innings.

Rahul remained calm.

He reached his half-century in the 11th over and then accelerated during the final stages. Three consecutive fours in the 18th over pushed him into the nineties before he completed his century with a six.

Rahul finished unbeaten on 103, helping LSG reach 168/6.

That total initially looked slightly below par at Wankhede.

Lucknow’s bowlers made it look much bigger.

Mumbai were restricted to 132/8, and LSG won by 36 runs.

Scoring unbeaten centuries against the same team twice in one season underlines just how dominant Rahul was against Mumbai in 2022.

KL Rahul’s Centuries in IPL

Rahul has scored six IPL centuries through 2026. His overall career record stands at 5,815 runs from 159 matches, with a highest score of 152 and an average above 46.

His first IPL hundred came at Wankhede in 2019.

Punjab posted 197/4 after Rahul made an unbeaten 100 and Chris Gayle scored 63.

That century also came in defeat.

Kieron Pollard produced one of his greatest IPL innings, scoring 83 from 31 balls as Mumbai chased the target from the final delivery.

Rahul’s six hundreds are spread across three franchises, which reflects both his longevity and his ability to adapt to different team structures.

Rahul’s Consistency as an Opener

Rahul’s IPL career changed when he became a permanent opener.

Before that, he had often moved around the batting order and did not receive enough balls to establish himself as a major run-scorer.

Opening gave him control.

He could assess the pitch from the first over, play the new ball in conventional areas and decide when to increase the tempo.

His consistency between 2018 and 2022 was exceptional.

He repeatedly produced 500-plus run seasons and became one of the most reliable top-order batters in the league.

The 2018 campaign showed how quickly he could also score.

In Punjab’s opening match against Delhi Daredevils, Rahul reached fifty from only 14 balls, setting what was then the fastest half-century in IPL history.

That innings demonstrated why judging him only by his slower anchor innings misses part of his skill set.

Rahul can attack from ball one when the situation demands it.

He can also bat through 20 overs and score a hundred.

That range has allowed him to remain effective even as IPL batting has become more aggressive.

Famous KL Rahul Match-Winning Knocks

93* vs RCB in 2025

Rahul’s unbeaten 93 against RCB in Bengaluru was one of his finest chases.

Delhi fell to 39/3 and later 66/4 while chasing 164.

Rahul initially rebuilt alongside Tristan Stubbs before attacking Josh Hazlewood for 22 runs in the 15th over.

He finished unbeaten on 93 from 53 balls, and Delhi won with 13 balls remaining.

The innings was a perfect example of controlled acceleration.

77 vs CSK at Chepauk

Rahul played another important innings for Delhi against Chennai Super Kings in 2025.

He made 77 and helped DC reach 183/6.

Delhi then restricted CSK to 158/5 and won by 25 runs, registering their first victory at Chepauk in 15 years. Rahul was named Player of the Match.

75 vs Rajasthan Royals in 2026

Rahul scored 75 from only 40 balls in a successful chase against Rajasthan Royals.

He and Pathum Nissanka added 110 for the opening wicket, putting Delhi firmly ahead of the required rate.

Rahul struck six fours and five sixes and was named Player of the Match as DC chased 226 with five balls remaining.

95* vs Rajasthan Royals in 2018

Not every great Rahul innings ended in victory.

His unbeaten 95 from 70 balls against Rajasthan in Jaipur was an outstanding one-man effort.

Rahul scored 66.43% of Punjab’s total, but KXIP still lost by 15 runs.

The innings demonstrated his ability to remain composed while wickets fell around him.

94 vs Mumbai Indians in 2018

Rahul almost completed a difficult chase at Wankhede in 2018.

He scored 94 from 60 balls and shared a major partnership with Aaron Finch.

Jasprit Bumrah eventually dismissed Rahul in the penultimate over, and Mumbai escaped with a three-run win.

It was another example of Rahul getting extremely close to deciding a match almost single-handedly.

Why Rahul’s Best IPL Innings Stand Out

Rahul’s greatest strength is not one particular scoring method.

He can win through timing, patience or acceleration.

His 132* against RCB was a classic first-innings domination.

His 93* against Bengaluru in 2025 was a recovery chase.

His two centuries against Mumbai in 2022 showed his ability to bat through an innings while keeping enough scoring options for the death overs.

His 152 in 2026 represented the modern version of Rahul: still technically secure, but capable of maintaining an extremely high strike rate across a long innings.

That evolution matters.

Modern IPL batting increasingly rewards players who can combine volume with speed.

Rahul’s career has shown that he can do both.

FAQs

What is KL Rahul’s highest score in IPL history?

KL Rahul’s highest IPL score is 152 for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings in 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

How many IPL centuries has KL Rahul scored?

Rahul has scored six IPL centuries through the completed 2026 season.

What was KL Rahul’s famous score against RCB in 2020?

He scored an unbeaten 132 from 69 balls for Kings XI Punjab in Dubai, helping his team win by 97 runs.

How many centuries has KL Rahul scored against Mumbai Indians?

Rahul has scored three IPL centuries against Mumbai Indians: 100* in 2019 and two unbeaten 103s in 2022.

What is KL Rahul’s best chase in the IPL?

His unbeaten 93 against RCB in 2025 is one of his finest successful chases. Delhi recovered from 66/4 to win by six wickets.

Did KL Rahul score the fastest IPL fifty?

Rahul scored a 14-ball fifty against Delhi Daredevils in 2018, which was the fastest IPL fifty at the time.