Forty matches into the IPL 2024 season, the tournament has witnessed enough batting exploits to state that run-scoring has touched its acme since the format’s inception. The run rates have romped through the roof, with 712 sixes struck already. The record stands at 1124 maximums from last season.
The broad catalysts have been attributed to the radical Impact Player rule and flatbed pitches across venues. While scoring rates have been relatively slow in certain centres in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Mullanpur – the manic shotmaking at Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi has more than made up for it.
A closer look at the numbers suggests the evolution of batting mindsets in two critical phases: the Powerplay and death overs. The middle-overs bear a calmer transition over the last three 10-team seasons.
The powerplay run rate has shot up to 9.34 this season from 7.81 in 2022 and 8.71 last year. While the balls per six (Bp6) has dipped considerably, it is interesting to note that the overall batting average has moved upward this season, suggesting that there is a method to the madness, and batters have coupled consistency with frenetic hitting.
For example, Travis Head leads the batting charts in the powerplay with 258 runs. That makes up for nearly 80 per cent of the total runs he has scored thus far. Yet, the marauding Sunrisers openers have only been dismissed once in six innings in the PP. Rohit Sharma, second on the list, has compiled 186 runs in eight innings while falling thrice.
The trends upfront apply to the death-overs too (17-20), where the run rates are touching 12, with a six hit every 7.98 deliveries, a stark dip from the 9.46 Bp6 from 2023.
Here’s a look at the key team-wise and player stats in the Powerplay and death-overs in IPL 2024 so far:
Which team has been the fastest-scoring team in the Powerplay in IPL 2024?
With a staggering 198.40 strike rate, the Sunrisers Hyderabad lead the powerplay scoring rates. They have accumulated 521 runs in only seven matches, with the run charts by their openers Head and Abhishek Sharma, who account for over 82 per cent of the team runs in the phase.
Overall, Gujarat Titans hold the record for the most runs by a team in powerplay in a season, having racked up 888 runs in 17 innings at a 135.76 strike rate in 2023. Mumbai Indians stand second with 887 runs in 16 innings at a 147.31 strike rate, also from the 2023 edition. With at least six more games in hand, SRH are poised to raise the bar comfortably.
Who has hit the most sixes in the powerplay in 2024?
Abhishek Sharma (16, Bp6: 4.56), Travis Head (15, Bp6: 7.33) and Rohit Sharma (13, Bp6: 8.15) are the top-three six-hitters in the powerplay.
Overall, Sanath Jayasuriya still holds the record for most PP sixes in a season, having 22 maximums in the inaugural season in 2008.
Powerplay disruptors
Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult have been the only consistent bowlers who have negated the big bats to some extent thus far this season. Bumrah possesses the best economy rate (5.16) among bowlers to have delivered 50 balls in the phase, picking up four wickets. Boult follows with an economy of 6.50. The Kiwi seamer leads with six wickets in the phase.
Overall, Mohammed Shami holds the record for most powerplay wickets (17) in a season, achieving the feat in the 2023 edition. Dale Steyn boasts the best economy in the powerplay in a season (min. 200 deliveries) with a 4.82 economy in 2013.
Which team has been the fastest-scoring team in the death-overs in IPL 2024?
The Sunrisers dominate at the back end as well, with a staggering 213.92 strike rate, striking a six every 5.4 deliveries.
Overall, Mumbai Indians top the charts for the most runs at the death in a season, having racked up 775 runs at a 174.70 SR in the 2013 season.
Among batters, Dinesh Karthik leads with 151 runs (235.93 strike rate) in the slog-overs. Overall, Andre Russell holds the record for most death-overs runs in a season, having smashed 305 runs in the 2019 edition.
Death-overs silencers
Bumrah has also been the most efficient bowler at the death this season, conceding only 7.20 runs per over, with Chennai Super Kings pacer Matheesha Pathirana following with an 8.55 economy. While Bumrah has six wickets in the phase, Sam Curran leads with seven scalps.
Overall, Lasith Malinga has registered the best economy at the death in a season, conceding only 6.05 rpo in the 2009 season. Former CSK bowler Dwayne Bravo still holds the distinction of having the most death-overs wickets in a season, with 21 in the 2015 season.
Sunrisers Hyderabad batters Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head run between the wickets during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad, at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru. (PTI) 
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