Striking it hot
Five players with the best strike-rates in a single IPL season
Mathew Varghese
13-May-2015
ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Andre Russell
Strike-rate: 197.93 Season: 2015
Shakib Al Hasan's absence due to international duty and Jacques Kallis' move to a backroom role for Kolkata Knight Riders meant more matches for Russell in the 2015 IPL. He started off with an unbeaten 41 off 22 in a loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore, followed by a 36-ball 66 that helped chase down 156 against Kings XI Punjab after it had seemed improbable at 60 for 5. He starred in another close chase against Chennai Super Kings, and top scored in the IPL's first one-wicket win.
Strike-rate: 197.93 Season: 2015
Shakib Al Hasan's absence due to international duty and Jacques Kallis' move to a backroom role for Kolkata Knight Riders meant more matches for Russell in the 2015 IPL. He started off with an unbeaten 41 off 22 in a loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore, followed by a 36-ball 66 that helped chase down 156 against Kings XI Punjab after it had seemed improbable at 60 for 5. He starred in another close chase against Chennai Super Kings, and top scored in the IPL's first one-wicket win.
Glenn Maxwell
Strike-rate: 187.75 Season: 2014
After two insignificant seasons with Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians, Maxwell's big splash in the IPL came in 2014 with Kings XI Punjab. His scores in the first three games with them: 95 off 43, 89 off 45, and 95 off 43. He managed to score only one more half-century, though, and failed to make an impact in the closing stages, with scores of 6, 13 and 0 after the league phase.
Strike-rate: 187.75 Season: 2014
After two insignificant seasons with Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians, Maxwell's big splash in the IPL came in 2014 with Kings XI Punjab. His scores in the first three games with them: 95 off 43, 89 off 45, and 95 off 43. He managed to score only one more half-century, though, and failed to make an impact in the closing stages, with scores of 6, 13 and 0 after the league phase.
Kieron Pollard
Strike-rate: 185.71 Season: 2010
Pollard came onto the radar of IPL teams with his performances for Trinidad & Tobago in the Champions League T20 in 2009, and was signed up by Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2010 season. He would have scored more than his 273 runs had he consistently batted higher up the order: ten of his 14 innings came at No. 6 or lower, and he surprisingly came in at No. 8 in the final, where his 27 off 10 balls came too late against Chennai Super Kings.
Strike-rate: 185.71 Season: 2010
Pollard came onto the radar of IPL teams with his performances for Trinidad & Tobago in the Champions League T20 in 2009, and was signed up by Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2010 season. He would have scored more than his 273 runs had he consistently batted higher up the order: ten of his 14 innings came at No. 6 or lower, and he surprisingly came in at No. 8 in the final, where his 27 off 10 balls came too late against Chennai Super Kings.
Virender Sehwag
Strike-rate: 184.54 Season: 2008
Sehwag had a fairly inconsistent inaugural IPL - half his scores were below 20. However, he did manage to score 406 runs in his 14 innings as opener for Daredevils, and at the brisk pace expected of Sehwag. His best was an unbeaten 94 against Deccan Chargers, which came off just 41 balls. Sehwag led Daredevils to the semi-finals, where they lost to Rajasthan Royals, the eventual champions.
Strike-rate: 184.54 Season: 2008
Sehwag had a fairly inconsistent inaugural IPL - half his scores were below 20. However, he did manage to score 406 runs in his 14 innings as opener for Daredevils, and at the brisk pace expected of Sehwag. His best was an unbeaten 94 against Deccan Chargers, which came off just 41 balls. Sehwag led Daredevils to the semi-finals, where they lost to Rajasthan Royals, the eventual champions.
Chris Gayle
Strike-rate: 183.13 Season: 2011
Before Royal Challengers Bangalore: batting average 30.86, strike rate 141.59. With Royal Challengers Bangalore: batting average 52.30, strike rate 157.53. Gayle made the move to Royal Challengers in 2011, and he announced his arrival with his first IPL century against Knight Riders, his former team. He scored another hundred in the season, against Kings XI Punjab, besides three fifties. Though he managed to better his 608 runs in subsequent seasons, he wasn't able to match his 2011 strike-rate. His phenomenal batting won him the Player-of-the-Tournament award, but his duck in the final effectively ended Royal Challengers' hopes of chasing down a big target.
Strike-rate: 183.13 Season: 2011
Before Royal Challengers Bangalore: batting average 30.86, strike rate 141.59. With Royal Challengers Bangalore: batting average 52.30, strike rate 157.53. Gayle made the move to Royal Challengers in 2011, and he announced his arrival with his first IPL century against Knight Riders, his former team. He scored another hundred in the season, against Kings XI Punjab, besides three fifties. Though he managed to better his 608 runs in subsequent seasons, he wasn't able to match his 2011 strike-rate. His phenomenal batting won him the Player-of-the-Tournament award, but his duck in the final effectively ended Royal Challengers' hopes of chasing down a big target.
Mathew Varghese is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo