Top 5 batsmen with the most 50+ scores in IPL history
The 13th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) recently ended after enthralling cricket fans all around the globe for almost two months. The Mumbai Indians dominated throughout the season and eventually bagged their fifth IPL trophy in the final against the Delhi Capitals.
Every season, fans witness a few astonishing performances in both the batting and bowling departments. Brendon McCullum's 158 in 2008, Yusuf Pathan's 100 in 2010, Gayle's 175* in 2013, and Anil Kumble's 5/5 spell in 2009 are some of the greats performances which are etched in the memories of every IPL fan.
There are quite a few batsmen who score runs consistently every year and play a crucial role in their franchise's journey in the tournament. Consistency is the most significant parameter which distinguishes the elite players from the rest.
We look at five players who have posted the most number of 50+ scores in IPL and established themselves as the elite players in the league.
Honorable mentions:
- Suresh Raina: 39
- Chris Gayle: 37
- Gautam Gambhir: 36
- Ajinkya Rahane: 30
- Shane Watson: 25
#5 Rohit Sharma - 40
Over the years, Rohit Sharma has managed to build an unparalleled legacy for himself as one of the best captains in IPL's history. Usually, his batting accomplishments are overshadowed and go unnoticed due to the excellent success rate of his team and his astute captaincy skills.
Sharma has not performed with the same levels of consistency in the IPL when compared to his international cricket career. However, whenever his team have required a special knock from him, Sharma has stepped up and produced match-winning performances.
Sharma has been a regular fixture in the IPL since its inaugural season. He has represented the Deccan Chargers and the Mumbai Indians in the tournament and has won the IPL trophy while playing for both teams.
In 200 matches, Sharma has hit 39 fifties and one century. His only IPL century 109* came in 2012 at Eden Gardens while playing against the KKR team.
#4 AB de Villiers - 41
For a decade now, AB de Villiers has been the linchpin of RCB's batting order along with Virat Kohli. His batting performances have played a colossal role in the RCB side in every season of the IPL. Despite humungous expectations on him every year, de Villiers continues to mesmerize cricket lovers with his artistic batting performances.
AB de Villiers has a knack for producing unbelievable knocks in IPL. He did the same in this year's IPL in a league match against KKR at Sharjah. When everyone else from his team was struggling to time the ball well, Devilliers showcased his innate hitting skills and single-handedly powered RCB to a match-winning total.
In 169 matches, de Villiers has hit 38 fifties and three centuries. He possesses an astonishing strike rate of 151.51 even after playing nearly 170 IPL matches.
#3 Shikhar Dhawan - 43
Shikhar Dhawan has been a regular participant in the IPL since 2008. The current DC Dhawan has represented the Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi franchises at various stages in his IPL career.
Of the three cities, Dhawan has spent the most time with the Hyderabad franchise. Shikhar Dhawan forged a prolific opening partnership with David Warner in the SRH team for many years and played a crucial role in the franchise's trophy-winning campaign in 2016.
Dhawan then moved to the Delhi Capitals in 2019 and is still with the team. The talismanic opener created history this year by becoming the first player to hit two consecutive centuries in IPL matches. He ended the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer with 618 runs.
In 176 IPL matches, Dhawan has 41 fifties and two centuries to his name. He has hit 591 fours in the IPL and tops the charts in that aspect of the game.
#2 Virat Kohli - 44
For a change, Virat Kohli occupies the second spot in a list compiled about a batting record. Kohli scored over 450 runs in IPL 2020, but he did not look like his usual self. His strike rate was also uncharacteristically low this year.
Kohli has not been at his best over the last few IPL seasons after his stellar 973 run total in 2016. However, Kohli is the leading run-scorer in the IPL. This is proof of his consistency levels over a long period of time. In 192 matches, Virat Kohli has hit 39 fifties and five centuries. His highest IPL score of 113 runs came against the KXIP team back in 2016.
Virat Kohli loves chasing down batting records in all formats of the game. Fans can expect Kohli to add many more 50+ scores to eventually occupy the pole position in this elite list in the coming years.
#1 David Warner - 52
David Warner has literally become the embodiment of consistency since he donned the orange jersey of SRH in 2014. He has consistently managed to score more than 500 runs in every season he has played for SRH, which is an exceptional achievement.
Warner has been a tower of strength for SRH's batting order for years now. There have been countless instances of Warner's individual brilliance while bailing out the Sunrisers' side in difficult games.
In 142 matches, Warner has hit 48 fifties and four centuries. Out of all the batsmen on this list, Warner has played the least number of games. However, he has still managed to overtake everyone else on this list comfortably.