During the transition from a test format to a shorter one, the experts developed a new rule called power play. It involves a mandatory restriction on the number of outfield players, i.e., the number of players outside the thirty-yard circle. The idea behind the rule was to give the batting team a chance to put up a high score from the beginning making the game more intense and fun for the watchers. The Power Play is essential to set the tone of the game; the batting teams tend to play aggressively to put on runs, which also causes them to give their wickets easily. While it can go both ways, some teams have been able to utilize it to their benefit. Here is the list of the highest scores made in the power play, in twenty formats, by a team-
1. Nottingham
In the English derby against Nottingham and Durham, Nottingham Forest put up a hefty sum of 106 in the first six overs breaking the previously held world record held by KKR. Alex Hales scored 95 in just 30 balls to help gain the victory over Durham. The England opener hit nine sixes and nine fours to reach 106 in the first six overs. Nottingham chased down the target of 183 in just 13.5 overs.
2. KKR
The opening Partnership of Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine smashed through the RCB bowling lineup, putting up a surmounting score of 105 in the first six overs. Sunil Narine scored 54 in just 17 balls while Chris Lynn scored 50 in 20 balls. Together they scored eleven fours and nine sixes creating a new world record. Sunil Narine was on his way to create a new world record for the fastest fifty. KKR managed to achieve the target in only 14 overs.
3. South Africa
On 26th March 2023, South Africa faced the West Indies in a twenty-match. West Indies, who held the record for most runs scored in a power play in the international format, got battered by the pair of Quinton de Kock and Reza Hendricks who scored 102 in the first six overs. This made South Africa the first international team to score over 100 runs in a power play. De Kock also scored the fastest half-century ever by a South African batsman in just 15 balls Kock scored 62 in 24 balls while Hendricks scored 35 in just 12.
4. CSK
What a match it was. KXIP scored a giant 226 for CSK to chase down in the second qualifier of IPL 2014. It was Suresh Raina who took on this mammoth task and refused to quit. He scored 87 of 25 balls to cross the 100-run margin for the first time in the IPL history. He scored twelve fours and six sixes to pull it off. However, the efforts died in vain as Chennai lost the match after a devastating fall of wickets, and Punjab secured a spot in the IPL 2014 finals.
5. West Indies
Before their encounter with South Africa this year West Indies held the world record for most runs scored in a power play by a country. West Indies skipper, at that time, Kieran Pollard, scored six sixes to Dhananjaya in an over pulling off a Yuvraj Singh against Sri Lanka at Coolidge. After five overs, it was 62/4 for the west indies, but Kieran Pollard changed the game in the last over of the power play. West Indies went on to win the game by chasing 142 runs in 14 overs.
6. Irelands
In January 2020, Irelands faced the mighty West Indies. The senior batsmen Paul Stirling and Kevin O Brien scored 93 in the power play. Stirling made the highest runs scored by a batsman in the first six overs,67 runs from 25 balls. Kevin also scored 23 from 11 balls, string went on to score 95 of 47 balls scoring six fours and eight sixes, taking the total of the team to 208. Ireland triumphed over west indies, beating them by a difference of 4 runs.
7. Netherlands
During the 2016 twenty world cup, Ireland faced the Netherlands in the group stages. The Netherlands chased down a target of 190 runs in just 14 overs. The opening partnership of Stephan Myburgh and captain Peter Borren scored 91 in the power play setting the pace of the game. The captain scored 31 of 15 balls, while Myburgh, who was later announced the man of the match, scored 57 of just 21 balls. They destroyed Ireland’s bowling attack and displayed their class on the world stage.
8. Australia
In the last match of the trans-Tasman tri-series 2018, Australia and New Zealand battled it out at Auckland. New Zealand put up a gigantic score of 244 runs. However, the Aussies dint back down and chased it in 18.5 overs only. The opening partnership of David Warner and D’Arcy Short smashed the Kiwi bowler and scored 91 runs in the first six overs. Warner scored 39 of 16 while Smort scored 38 of 20.
9. Kochi Tuskers
In the 2011 edition of IPL, Kochi tuskers faced Rajasthan Royals. Kochi’s bowling attack broke RR’s spirit bowling them out for 97 runs. Evens with such a small target, Kochi didn’t waste time. They scored 98 runs in just 7.2 overs, scoring 87 in the first six. Brendon Mcclum-29, Parthiv Patel-21, and Brad Hodge-31 contributed to this feat. It wasn’t until Kolkata’s innings against Punjab that Kochi’s record was broken.
10. Kings 11 Punjab
KXIP faced SRH on 14th May 2014 in a classic. SRH put up a score of 205, which Punjab chased down. Manan Vohra and Wridhiman Saha played an exceptional knock scoring a partnership of 91 runs, scoring 86 in the power play. Saha scored 54 while Vohra scored 47 to guide their team to victory. Punjab chased down the score in 18.4 overs.
