Top Team Scores in a Single Innings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL)

Known for its fast-paced action-packed cricket, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is one of the finest T20 leagues in the world. The earlier seasons of the tournament were played in the three cities of the United Arab Emirates before moving completely to the host nation of Pakistan where the flat surfaces help the batters to score big runs on the board. Here we discuss the highest team totals in PSL history.

1. Multan Sultans - 262

Multan Sultans scored 262/3 against Quetta Gladiators in the 2023 season which is the highest total in PSL history. During a league stage fixture at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Quetta Gladiators won the toss and decided to bowl first. Multan openers Usman Khan and captain Mohammad Rizwan made full use of the opportunity adding 91 runs inside the powerplay, the most runs in the stage of the 2023 PSL season. Usman scored 50 off 22 balls and Rizwan followed him by getting to his 50 in 26 balls. After Rizwan’s dismissal, Usman unleashed his wrath finishing with 120 off 43 balls helping Multan to a mammoth score of 262/3 in 20 overs.

2. Quetta Gladiators - 253

Image credit: PSL

In the same match where the Sultans batted first and scored the highest team total in PSL, the Gladiators responded with might and almost chased down the total. After Jason Roy’s early departure, Martin Guptill hit 37 off 14 with Omair Yousuf hitting 67 in 36 balls. Iftikhar Ahmed in the middle order slashed 53 off 31 deliveries. Wicketkeeper Umar Akmal batting at 6, scored 28 in just 10 balls but was dismissed in the penultimate over by Abbas Afridi who picked up 5/47 including a hattrick to save the day for Multan. A total of 33 sixes were hit in the match across two innings.

3. Islamabad United - 247

The Islamabad United top order created history in the 2021 edition of the Pakistan Super League in a group fixture against Peshawar Zalmi in Abu Dhabi. Batting first after losing the toss, United captain Usman Khawaja led from the front scoring an unbeaten 105 in 56 balls hitting 13 fours and 3 sixes to become the first ever captain in PSL history to hit a century. Colin Munro (48), Brandon King (46*) and Asif Ali (43) also scored at a quick pace. United got the highest total in PSL at that time overhauling their own record of 238/3 against Lahore Qalandars in 2019.

4. Multan Sultans – 245

Image credit: PSL

Multan Sultans registered the highest team total in PSL 7 by totalling 245/3 against Quetta Gladiators at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It was also the 2nd highest team total in PSL at that time. After winning the toss, Sultans elected to bat first with the top 3 scoring terrific half-centuries. Mohammad Rizwan first got to his fifty in 28 balls followed by Shan Masood (33 balls) and then the whirlwind knock of Rilee Rossouw followed. Rossouw got to 50 in just 20 balls and finished with 71 off 26 balls hitting 9 fours and 4 sixes. Masood scored 57 off 38 with Rizwan staying unbeaten with 83 in 54 balls.

5. Multan Sultans - 244

It is the highest total in PSL history while successfully chasing. Multan Sultans did the unthinkable at Rawalpindi during PSL 8 playing against Peshawar Zalmi. Set a target of 243, Sultans lost their openers inside the powerplay for single digits. Rilee Rossouw batting at number 3 joined forces with Kieron Pollard adding 99 runs for the 3rd wicket. Pollard scored 52 off 25 with 3 fours and 5 sixes. Rossouw smashed 121 runs in 51 balls making a mockery of the Peshawar bowling attack. His innings saw him hit 12 fours and 8 sixes. Anwar Ali (24* off 8) and Usama Mir (11* off 3) ensured Sultans won by 4 wickets and 5 balls to spare.

6. Quetta Gladiators - 243

It was yet another high-scoring clash in PSL 8. Peshawar Zalmi put up a huge target of 241 for Gladiators to chase at Rawalpindi. Openers Jason Roy and Martin Guptill provided a quick start adding 41 inside 3 overs. After Guptill’s early departure, Will Smeed joined Roy as the English duo added 109 runs for the 2nd wicket in 9.1 overs. Roy got his fifty in 22 balls and took 22 more balls to move into three figures hitting 20 fours and 5 sixes in his not out innings of 145 in 63 balls. Mohammad Hafeez hit 41 in 18 to guide the team to an 8-wicket win, the 2nd biggest total chased successfully in PSL.

7. Peshawar Zalmi - 242

Image credit: PSL

Peshawar Zalmi won the toss at Rawalpindi electing to bat first and put up a huge total on the board but their bowlers failed to back the performance as Zalmi finished in a losing cause. The top order fired with captain Babar Azam scoring 73 in 39 balls, Saim Ayub 58 in 33 balls and Mohammad Haris firing 35 in just 11 deliveries. Tom Kohler-Cadmore batting at 5 scored 38 in 18 balls with overall 15 sixes hit in the Peshawar innings. Sultans later chased the record total on the back of Rilee Rossouw’s fiery century and Kieron Pollard’s 52-run knock.

8. Lahore Qalandars - 241

Another encounter from the 8th PSL season. Hosts Lahore Qalandars won the toss at Gaddafi Stadium electing to bat first. Mirza Baig was dismissed cheaply in the 2nd over but his opening partner Fakhar Zaman and number 3 Abdullah Shafique steadied the ship with a 120-run partnership. Zaman missed his ton by 4 runs facing 45 balls. His masterclass included 3 fours and 10 sixes. Shafique was dismissed by Wahab Riaz for 75 in 41 balls with 5 fours and as many sixes. Sam Billings later finished the innings with an unbeaten 45 in 23 balls with Qalandars defending the total by 40 runs.

9. Peshawar Zalmi - 240

The Peshawar side got to their highest total in PSL hitting 240 against Quetta Gladiators and overhauled the number a couple of days later. In the former game played at Rawalpindi Stadium, Zalmi scored 240/2 with captain Babar Azam notching 115 in 65 balls with 15 fours and 3 sixes. Opener Saim Ayub had 74 to contribute off 34 balls in the 1st wicket stand of 162 runs. Babar was run out in the final over with Rovman Powell at the other end. Powell hit 3 fours and 2 sixes in his contribution of 35 runs in 18 balls. Gladiators eased to the total with 10 balls to spare on the back of Jason Roy’s terrific unbeaten ton.