Rajasthan Royals have proven to be the master of dramatic run chases in the Indian Premier League. They were the first team to chase down a total of more than 200 runs during IPL 2008 – against the Deccan Chargers – and held on to the record for 12 years before surpassing it again in IPL 2020.
Four years later in IPL 2024, the Royals equalled the record for the highest successful run chase in the tournament against the Kolkata Knight Riders. In fact, three of the top five chases involve the team from Jaipur and incidentally, none of them were at their home venue.
Later on in IPL 2024, Punjab Kings set a new record for the highest run chase in the tournament when they downed Kolkata Knight Riders' massive total.
262/2, PBKS vs KKR, IPL 2024
Punjab Kings set a new record for the highest chase in IPL with 262/2 after they overcame Kolkata Knight Riders' 261/6 at the Eden Gardens in IPL 2024. For KKR, it was openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine's fifties and a few cameos that helped them set a massive total. In the chase, PBKS Prabhsimran Singh hammered a 20-ball 50 (4x4, 5x6) while Jonny Bairstow crafted an unbeaten 108 in just 48 balls, helped by eight fours and nine sixes. The duo put on 93 runs in the powerplay before Prabhsimran was sent back. Shashank Singh too got into the action, blasting 68 runs in just 28 balls, with two fours and eight sixes, at a strike rate of 242.85. PBKS won the match with eight balls and as many wickets to spare. In a span of 10 days, the highest run chase record was matched and then broken at the Eden Gardens with the home team on the receiving end on both occasions.
226/6, RR vs KXIP, IPL 2020
Rajasthan Royals set the record for the highest run chase in the IPL during the 2020 season when they successfully tracked down 224 for the win against Kings XI Punjab. Batting first at Sharjah, KXIP scored 223/2 on the back of Mayank Agarwal’s century and KL Rahul’s 69 – the pair putting on 183 for the first wicket in 16.2 overs. In the chase, the Royals lost Jos Buttler early but captain Steve Smith (50 runs in 27 balls), Player of the Match Sanju Samson (85 in 42) and Rahul Tewatia (53 in 31) scored fifties to help their team over the line in 19.3 overs. Tewatia’s knock included five sixes in the 18th over bowled by Sheldon Cottrell, which swayed the match. Before that over, the Royals needed 51 runs off three overs. RR ended up with 226/6 to win the match by four wickets.
224/8, RR vs KKR, IPL 2024
Rajasthan Royals equalled the record for the highest run chase in the IPL when they overhauled Kolkata Knight Riders’ 223/6 at the Eden Gardens during the 2024 season. Asked to bat first, KKR’s innings was pillared by Sunil Narine’s maiden T20 century. Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Sen took two wickets each while Trent Boult bowled a tight spell for the Royals. In response, RR went on the attack but kept losing wickets at regular intervals and found themselves at 121/6 in the 13th over. Until then, Riyag Parag managed 34 in just 14 balls while Jos Buttler had anchored the innings at the other end. The Royals’ scoring rate went up with Rovman Powell at the crease as Buttler too started sailing over the ropes. With 46 needed in the last three overs and the tail exposed, Buttler ensured that he not only kept the strike but also hit timely sixes. Ultimately, the Englishman – named Player of the Match – ensured that the Royals took the win off the last ball with a single.
219/6, MI vs CSK, IPL 2021
In IPL 2021, Mumbai Indians chased down Chennai Super Kings’ 218/4 with four wickets to spare in Delhi. MI needed two off the last ball and Kieron Pollard delivered. The West Indian, the Player of the Match, scored an unbeaten 87 off just 34 balls, laced with eight sixes, to get MI past the CSK total. Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma and Krunal Pandya all scored in the thirties. Sam Curran was CSK’s best bowler of the day with 3/34 in his quota. Earlier in the day, Chennai’s total was helped by fifties from Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali along with a whirlwind 72 not out off just 27 balls from Ambati Rayudu.
217/7, RR vs DCH, IPL 2008
In another close match, Rajasthan Royals needed 17 runs off the last over to win against Deccan Chargers, who had posted 214/5 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad during IPL 2008. The late Andrew Symonds was bowling the final over to Pankaj Singh, who scored three runs off the first two balls and handed the strike to captain Shane Warne. With 14 needed off four, Warne wasted no time and hit a four and back-to-back sixes to end the match with one ball and three wickets to spare. Earlier, Yusuf Pathan scored a staggering 61 runs off just 28 balls while Mohammed Kaif hit 34 in 16. Shane Warne ended with 22 not out in just nine deliveries. Symonds had scored 117* in just 53 balls to help Deccan Chargers to the total. Pathan picked up 2/20 in two overs and was later named Player of the Match. It was the first time in the IPL that a total of over 200 was chased down successfully – in just the tournament’s ninth match. The record for the highest run chase in the IPL stood for 12 years before the Royals eclipsed it again in IPL 2020.
Highest run chases in IPL
| Target | Team | Score | Opposition | Venue | Date |
| 262 | Punjab Kings | 262/2 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Kolkata | April 26, 2024 |
| 224 | Rajasthan Royals | 226/6 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Kolkata | April 16, 2024 |
| 224 | Rajasthan Royals | 224/8 | Kings XI Punjab | Sharjah | September 27, 2020 |
| 219 | Mumbai Indians | 219/6 | Chennai Super Kings | Delhi | May 1, 2021 |
| 215 | Rajasthan Royals | 217/7 | Deccan Chargers | Hyderabad | April 24, 2008 |
