A powerplay is a set of overs in cricket where only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. This allows the batsman to show off their amazing skills and put a good score on the board before the powerplay ends because after that, more fielders will be set outside the 30-yard circle, and it might get hard for the batsman to hit it as openly as he was hitting in the powerplay. In T20, the first six overs are considered a powerplay and can be called a batter’s game. If a batsman scores a good total in the powerplay, it can help the team score a good total in the rest of the overs, and it can become more challenging for the opponent team. Below is the list of the top ten highest powerplay scores in T20 internationals:
1. South Africa
Breaking all the highest scores made by previous teams in the powerplay, South African openers Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks scored 102 runs in the powerplay against the West Indies on March 26, 2023. South Africa became the first and only team in cricket history to cross the 100-mark in the powerplay. Quinton de Kock scored 62 runs in just 24 deliveries, and Reeza Hendricks scored 35 runs, in 12 deliveries. They helped their team chase down the score of 258 runs set by their opponent, the West Indies.
2. West Indies
The second-highest score in the powerplay, 98 runs, was set by the West Indies against Sri Lanka on March 4, 2021. The West Indies restricted Sri Lanka to just 131 runs with the loss of nine wickets. When the West Indies batters came to bat, Sri Lankan bowlers took two quick wickets in the powerplay. The game was looking out of the hands of the West Indies team, not knowing what would happen in the last over of the powerplay. Team captain Pollard came out to bat and hit six sixes in the last over of the powerplay. However, he got out, scoring 38 runs, and helped his team chase down the score in just 13 overs.
3. Ireland
The third-highest score in the powerplay, 93, was scored by Ireland against the West Indies in January 2020. Batting first, Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien smashed the ball into every corner of the ground in the powerplay, making it hard for the West Indian bowlers to take wickets. With his stunning skills, Stirling scored 95 runs in 47 deliveries, and Kevin made 23 runs in 11 deliveries, helping their team win the game. Chasing down the score set by the Ireland team, the West Indies fell short by four runs and lost the game.
4. Netherlands
The fourth highest score in the Powerplay, 91, was scored by the Netherlands against Ireland in the 2016 World Cup. Batting first, Ireland set a total of 190 runs. The Netherland chased down the score in just 14 overs. Ireland’s captain, Peter Borren, and Stephan Myburgh scored 91 runs in the powerplay, destroying the bowling attack of the Ireland team. Borren scored 31 runs in 15 deliveries, and Myburgh scored 57 runs in 21 deliveries.
5. Australia
The fifth-highest score in the powerplay, 91 runs, was scored by the Australia team against New Zealand in 2018. Batting first, New Zealand put 244 runs on the board. Australia chased down the score in 18.5 overs, helping Australia win the game. Thanks to the opening pair of David Warner and D’Arcy Short, the Australian team scored 91 runs in the powerplay. Warner scored 39 runs in 16 deliveries, and Short scored 38 runs in 20 deliveries.
6. West Indies
The sixth-highest score in the powerplay, 91 runs, was again scored by the smashing batsmen of the West Indies team against Bangladesh in December 2018. Batting first, Bangladesh struggled to put a decent score on the board and were all-out for 129 runs. The West Indies chased down the score in just 10.5 runs with the help of West Indies opener Shai Hope, who scored 52 runs in just 17 deliveries, helping his team win in style.
7. England
The seventh-highest score in the powerplay, 89 runs, was scored by England against South Africa in the 2016 World Cup. Batting first, South Africa gave England a total of 230 runs to chase, and in response, England chased down the total with two balls remaining. Jason Roy’s smashing hits helped his team get off to a good start. He scored 43 runs in just 16 deliveries. He along with his teammate Joe Root, who scored 83 off 44 balls, helped his team win the crucial game.
8. South Africa
The eighth-highest score in the powerplay, 88 runs, was scored again by South Africa against England in 2016. Batting first, England scored 172 runs, and South Africa chased the score down in just 15 overs with the help of amazing ball hitter AB de Villiers and his teammate Hashim Amla. They scored 88 runs on the power play. Villiers scored 41 runs in 18 deliveries, while Amla scored 40 runs in 18 deliveries, helping their team win the match.
9. West Indies
The ninth-highest score in the powerplay, 88 runs, was again scored by the smashing batsmen of the West Indies against Bangladesh in December 2018. The West Indies scored 88 runs on the power play. Batting first, the West Indies scored 190 runs with the help of Evin Lewis, who scored 62 runs in just 24 deliveries. The West Indies batsmen did an excellent job restricting the Bangladeshi team to just 140 runs and won the game by 50 runs.
10. West Indies
The tenth-highest score in the powerplay, 86, was scored again by the West Indies against South Africa in 2015. The West Indies scored 86 runs on the powerplay. Batting first, the South African team gave 232 runs for the West Indies to chase. As a result, with the help of ‘The Universe Boss, Chris Gayle, who is well known for hitting the balls out of the stadium, the West Indies chased down the score with four balls remaining. Gayle scored 90 runs in 41 deliveries, hitting seven sixes and nine fours in his inning.
