Highest & Lowest Powerplay score in T20 International

The game of the T20s has changed the dynamics of how cricket is played. It is fair to say that the impact of the format has its impact on the Tests and the ODIs as the batters look to score runs quickly rather than getting settled at the crease upfront and unleashing themselves. The T20 format demands batters to go after the bowlers right from the start and they too without caring about their wickets take the attack on right from the ball 1.

The first 6 overs of the T20 game, which are also known as powerplay overs, allow the added advantage to the batters to go hard as there are only two fielders allowed on the boundary lines. This gives batters extra freedom as they look to hit every ball out of the park, maximising the first 6 overs and giving the team a brutal start. However, it doesn’t happen always. In conditions, where the ball swings and seams, the powerplay overs can make it difficult for batters to score runs. The powerplay overs therefore can be extremely high-scoring or sometimes hard for batters. In this piece, we take a look at the Highest & Lowest Powerplay scores in T20 International

Top 5 highest powerplay score in T20 international 

South Africa holds the record for the highest powerplay score in the T20 international. The Proteas team in the game against West Indies in 2023 scored 102 runs inside the first 6 overs at the SuperSports Park in Centurion. It was mayhem by the Proteas openers in Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks.

They added 102 runs inside the first six overs as they batted tremendously. This was also the first time in the history of the T20Is that a team went past the 100-run mark in the powerplay and etched their name in the record books.

South Africa broke the record of West Indies, who had registered 98 runs in the power play in the game against Sri Lanka in 2021. Even though the Carribean batters lost 4 wickets inside the 6 overs, they kept going hard at the bowlers and ended with a score of nearly 100 at Coolidge.

Ireland team is also amongst the teams with the highest powerplay score in the T20 international. They slammed 93 runs against West Indies in the game at the St George’s in 2020. Openers Paul Stirling and Kevin O Brien played sensationally well and made opposition bowlers look clueless.

West Indies, Netherlands and Australia also feature in the list of highest powerplay scores in T20 international. They all scored 91 runs against Bangladesh, Ireland and New Zealand in 2018, 2014 and 2018 respectively and provided immense entertainment to the fans.

West Indies and South Africa yet again feature in the list as they both scored 88 runs in the first 6 overs of the game against Bangladesh and West Indies respectively in 2016 and 2018. England scored 89/3 against South Africa in Mumbai in 2016 while New Zealand slammed 86/2 against West Indies in 2018.

Top 5 lowest powerplay score in T20 international 

Pakistan Cricket Team holds the record for the lowest powerplay score in T20 international. They managed just 13 runs in the first 6 overs against West Indies in the match at Mirpur in 2014. Not only this but they also went on to lose 4 wickets inside the powerplay.

West Indies also sit on the list with 13 runs to their name against Pakistan in 2013 during a match a Kingstown. They managed just 13 runs and lost three wickets in the 6 overs. Sri Lanka scored 14/2 against West Indies at Colombo in 2012 as they sit third on the lowest powerplay score in T20 international.

The Netherlands also feature the lowest powerplay score in the T20 international. They ended with 15/4 against Sri Lanka in Chattogram in 2014. Bangladesh has the fifth-lowest powerplay score in the T20 international. They had scored 16/3 against Pakistan in Mirpur in 2011.

India's highest powerplay score in the T20 international 

India registered their highest powerplay score in the T20 international against South Africa in 2018 at Johannesburg. Even though they lost their wickets they kept going hard and ended with 78 runs in the first 6 overs of the game. With this, they surpassed their previous best score of 77/1, which came against Sri Lanka in Nagpur in 2009.