Most Runs in IPL Finals: Big-Match Batting Stars

The IPL final is the biggest batting test in franchise cricket. A player has only one match to convert an entire season’s work into a championship, and the pressure can completely change the way an innings develops. Some batters attack from the start, while others absorb pressure before accelerating when the bowling begins to tire.

Over the years, several IPL legends have built exceptional records in title matches. Suresh Raina remains the leading run-scorer in IPL finals with 249 runs, while Shane Watson is close behind with 236. Virat Kohli moved into third place after his unbeaten 75 in the 2026 final, taking his career tally in IPL finals to 214 runs.

Wriddhiman Saha, Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay, MS Dhoni and Kieron Pollard also feature prominently. Their records show that success in an IPL final can come from different roles: opening the innings, controlling the middle overs or producing a short but decisive finishing burst.

Most Runs in IPL Finals

Raina’s 249-run record has survived even though he retired several seasons ago. Watson’s 236 came in only four finals, which gives him by far one of the best averages among the leading scorers. Saha’s 184 runs from three final appearances are similarly impressive.

Kohli’s 2026 innings changed the modern leaderboard. Before that final, he had 139 runs from four finals after scores of 7, 35, 54 and 43. His unbeaten 75 against Gujarat Titans took him past Rohit, Vijay, Dhoni and Pollard.

1. Suresh Raina – 249 Runs

Suresh Raina remains the most prolific batter in IPL final history.

The former Chennai Super Kings star scored 249 runs in eight finals, averaging 35.57 and striking at 150.00. He also registered two half-centuries, with a highest score of 73.

Raina’s importance to CSK went far beyond aggregate runs. He regularly batted at No. 3, which meant he often entered during the most important tactical phase of an innings. If an opener fell early, he had to rebuild. If CSK started quickly, he had to maintain the tempo.

His most important final innings came in 2010 against Mumbai Indians.

Raina scored an unbeaten 57 from 35 balls as Chennai reached a competitive total. He then contributed with the ball and was named Player of the Match as CSK won their first IPL title.

He also made 73 in the 2012 final against KKR, although Chennai eventually lost.

Raina’s ability to perform repeatedly in finals is the main reason he still holds the all-time run record.

2. Shane Watson – 236 Runs

Shane Watson scored only 13 fewer runs than Raina despite appearing in half as many IPL finals.

He accumulated 236 runs in four finals at an average of 78.67.

The defining innings came in 2018.

Chennai Super Kings were chasing 179 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Watson struggled initially and failed to score from his first 10 deliveries, but once he settled, the innings changed completely.

He finished unbeaten on 117 from 57 balls, hitting 11 fours and eight sixes. CSK reached the target with nine balls remaining and won by eight wickets.

That remains the highest individual score in an IPL final.

Watson almost produced another championship-winning masterpiece one year later. In the 2019 final against Mumbai Indians, he scored 80 from 59 balls and kept Chennai alive until the final over.

His late run-out proved decisive, and Mumbai won by one run.

Those two innings alone explain why Watson is remembered as one of the greatest big-match batters in IPL history.

3. Virat Kohli – 214 Runs

Virat Kohli’s IPL final record changed dramatically across the later stages of his career.

His first three finals all ended in defeat.

He scored 7 against Deccan Chargers in 2009, 35 against Chennai Super Kings in 2011 and 54 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.

Kohli finally won his first IPL title in 2025.

In the final against Punjab Kings, he scored 43 from 35 balls and anchored the RCB innings as they reached 190/9. Bengaluru then defended the total by six runs.

One season later, he produced his best final innings.

RCB faced Gujarat Titans in the 2026 final and chased 156. Kohli remained unbeaten on 75 from 42 balls, hitting nine fours and three sixes as Bengaluru reached 161/5 in 18 overs and won by five wickets.

That innings took Kohli to 214 runs from five IPL finals and lifted him to third on the all-time list.

It also gave him back-to-back IPL titles after spending much of his career without one.

4. Wriddhiman Saha – 184 Runs

Wriddhiman Saha has one of the most underrated batting records in IPL finals.

He scored 184 runs from three final innings, including a century and a fifty.

His greatest performance came in 2014.

Playing for Kings XI Punjab against Kolkata Knight Riders, Saha smashed an unbeaten 115 from 55 balls.

He became the first batter to score a century in an IPL final.

Punjab reached 199/4, but KKR chased the target thanks to Manish Pandey’s 94 and late runs from Piyush Chawla.

Saha was therefore denied a title despite producing what was, at the time, the greatest batting innings in IPL final history.

He returned to the big stage in 2023 and scored 54 for Gujarat Titans against CSK. His innings gave Gujarat a strong Powerplay and helped them post 214/4.

CSK still chased the revised target in a rain-affected finish.

Saha’s extraordinary final average of 92.00 reflects how rarely he failed on the biggest stage.

5. Rohit Sharma – 183 Runs

Rohit Sharma has scored 183 runs in six IPL finals.

His overall average of 30.50 may look modest compared with Watson or Saha, but Rohit’s importance is tied closely to Mumbai Indians’ extraordinary final record.

His finest title-match innings came in 2015 against Chennai Super Kings.

Rohit scored 50 from only 26 balls and helped Mumbai build a total that proved far beyond CSK’s reach.

He became the first captain to win the Player of the Match award in an IPL final.

Rohit also contributed in the 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2020 championship runs.

His role changed across those seasons. Sometimes he opened, sometimes he batted in the middle order, and in low-scoring finals he often had to balance risk against the need to bat deep.

His 183-run tally keeps him among the most successful final batters in IPL history.

Highest Individual Scores in IPL Finals

Shane Watson’s unbeaten 117 remains the highest individual score in an IPL final.

Wriddhiman Saha is the only other batter to score a century in the title match.

Watson’s 117* and Saha’s 115* remain the only hundreds in IPL final history. Sai Sudharsan came close in 2023, scoring 96 against Chennai.

Kohli’s unbeaten 75 in 2026 is the newest entry among the leading final scores.

Famous Final Innings in IPL History

Murali Vijay’s 95 in 2011

Murali Vijay produced one of the greatest opening performances in an IPL final against RCB in 2011.

He smashed 95 from 52 balls and built a huge opening partnership with Michael Hussey.

CSK reached 205/5 and eventually won by 58 runs.

Vijay was named Player of the Match.

Manish Pandey’s 94 in 2014

KKR needed 200 to beat Kings XI Punjab in the 2014 final.

Manish Pandey responded with 94 from 50 balls.

He kept Kolkata ahead of the required rate despite wickets around him, and KKR eventually won by three wickets.

His innings effectively cancelled out Saha’s unbeaten century.

Kieron Pollard’s 60* in 2013

Mumbai were in serious trouble against Chennai in the 2013 final.

Pollard rescued them with an unbeaten 60 from 32 balls, helping MI reach 148/9.

That total proved enough.

Mumbai won the final, and Pollard was named Player of the Match. He later finished his career with 180 runs from six final innings at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 195.65.

Faf du Plessis’ 86 in 2021

Faf du Plessis controlled the 2021 final against KKR with 86 from 59 balls.

His innings helped CSK post 192/3.

Kolkata started strongly but collapsed through the middle overs, and Chennai won by 27 runs.

Du Plessis earned Player of the Match.

Kohli’s 75* in 2026

Kohli’s unbeaten 75 was important because the chase was never completely straightforward.

RCB lost wickets around him, but he continued scoring quickly enough to keep the required rate under control.

His innings ended years of discussion about his record in IPL finals and helped Bengaluru defend their title.

Impact of Finals Batting

Batting in an IPL final is different from batting in a normal league match.

The same target can feel much larger because every mistake carries championship consequences.

That is why innings such as Watson’s 117*, Pollard’s 60* and Pandey’s 94 are remembered so strongly. They did not simply produce runs; they controlled the emotional direction of the match.

Final batting also places greater value on partnerships.

A batter who survives the Powerplay can force the opposition captain to use attacking bowlers earlier than planned. That can create easier overs later.

The role of an anchor becomes particularly important when wickets fall.

Kohli’s 2025 and 2026 finals showed two versions of that role. In 2025, he held RCB’s innings together. In 2026, he combined control with a much higher scoring rate.

Finishers matter just as much.

Pollard repeatedly transformed Mumbai’s totals late in finals, while Ravindra Jadeja’s six and four from the final two balls in 2023 gave CSK one of the most dramatic title wins in IPL history.

The best final batters therefore do more than score heavily. They understand exactly when the match needs control and when it needs aggression.

FAQs

Who has scored the most runs in IPL finals?

Suresh Raina holds the record with 249 runs from eight IPL final appearances for Chennai Super Kings.

Who has the highest individual score in an IPL final?

Shane Watson holds the record with an unbeaten 117 for CSK against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2018 final.

How many runs has Virat Kohli scored in IPL finals?

Kohli has scored 214 runs from five IPL finals through 2026. His highest is an unbeaten 75 against Gujarat Titans in the 2026 final.

How many IPL final centuries have been scored?

Two centuries have been scored in IPL finals: Shane Watson’s 117* in 2018 and Wriddhiman Saha’s 115* in 2014.

How many runs did Rohit Sharma score in IPL finals?

Rohit Sharma scored 183 runs in six final appearances, including a Player-of-the-Match fifty in the 2015 final.

Who has the best batting average among the leading IPL final scorers?

Among the leading run-scorers, Wriddhiman Saha has the highest average at 92.00, having scored 184 runs across three final innings.