Ben Stokes holds the record for the highest individual score by a No. 5 batter in IPL history. He smashed 103 not out from 63 balls for Rising Pune Supergiant against Gujarat Lions at Pune in 2017, walking out with his team in deep trouble at 10 for 3 and finishing the chase almost single handed. This page lists the highest individual scores by No. 5 batters in IPL history, with runs, balls, strike rate, teams, venues and match details for each knock.
No. 5 is the first of the true middle order slots in T20 cricket. The batter often arrives during a collapse and has to rebuild, or arrives late with license to hit from the start. That mix is why this list has four centuries, the most at any middle order position. Stokes leads, followed by David Miller with 101 not out and Tilak Varma with 101 not out. The list also has a 37 ball classic from Yusuf Pathan that still stands as one of the fastest hundreds ever seen in the league.
Statistics updated through: 15 October 2026
IPL Stats Highest Individual Scores by No. 5 Batters Overview
| Record | Holder | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Highest score at No. 5 | Ben Stokes | 103 not out |
| Team | Rising Pune Supergiant | Against Gujarat Lions |
| Season | 2017 | At MCA Stadium, Pune |
| Second highest score | David Miller | 101 not out (2013) |
| Centuries at No. 5 | Four | Stokes, Miller, Tilak Varma, Yusuf Pathan |
| Most entries in top 10 | David Miller | Three knocks: 101 not out, 94 not out, 89 not out |
Ben Stokes set the record on 1 May 2017. Rising Pune Supergiant were chasing 162 against Gujarat Lions when they lost three wickets for 10 runs, and Stokes walked out at No. 5. He built a 76 run stand with MS Dhoni, reached his first T20 century off 61 balls, and finished 103 not out from 63 balls with 7 fours and 6 sixes. Pune won by five wickets with one ball to spare.
David Miller is second with 101 not out for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Mohali in 2013. Chasing 191, he walked out at No. 5 and smashed 101 not out from only 38 balls at a strike rate of 265.78, the fastest scoring century on this list in balls per run terms. Punjab won by six wickets.
The latest entry belongs to Tilak Varma. On 20 April 2026 he scored 101 not out from 45 balls for Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad, the only century ever made at No. 5 in the first innings of an IPL match. His 45 ball hundred also equalled the fastest century by a Mumbai Indians batter, a record first set by Sanath Jayasuriya in 2008.
Top 10 Highest Individual Scores by No. 5 Batters
These are the ten highest verified scores by batters walking out at No. 5 in IPL history. Every innings below is confirmed from the official scorecard of the match.
| Rank | Player | Score | Balls | Team | Against | Venue | Season | Strike Rate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Stokes | 103 not out | 63 | Rising Pune Supergiant | Gujarat Lions | Pune | 2017 | 163.49 | Pune won by 5 wickets |
| 2 | David Miller | 101 not out | 38 | Kings XI Punjab | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Mohali | 2013 | 265.78 | Punjab won by 6 wickets |
| 3 | Tilak Varma | 101 not out | 45 | Mumbai Indians | Gujarat Titans | Ahmedabad | 2026 | 224.44 | Mumbai won |
| 4 | Yusuf Pathan | 100 | 37 | Rajasthan Royals | Mumbai Indians | Brabourne, Mumbai | 2010 | 270.27 | Rajasthan lost by 4 runs |
| 5 | David Miller | 94 not out | 51 | Gujarat Titans | Chennai Super Kings | Pune | 2022 | 184.31 | Gujarat won by 3 wickets |
| 6 | AB de Villiers | 89 not out | 41 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bengaluru | 2014 | 217.07 | Not officially confirmed |
| 7 | David Miller | 89 not out | 44 | Kings XI Punjab | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Hyderabad | 2015 | 202.27 | Not officially confirmed |
| 8 | Marcus Stoinis | 89 not out | 47 | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians | Lucknow | 2023 | 189.36 | Not officially confirmed |
| 9 | Rishabh Pant | 88 not out | 43 | Delhi Capitals | Gujarat Titans | Delhi | 2024 | 204.65 | Not officially confirmed |
| 10 | Kieron Pollard | 87 not out | 34 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Delhi | 2021 | 255.88 | Mumbai won by 4 wickets |
Record History
Yusuf Pathan wrote the first chapter of this record in 2010. Chasing 213 against Mumbai Indians at Brabourne Stadium, Rajasthan Royals were 66 for 4 when he walked out at No. 5. He reached his hundred in 37 balls with 9 fours and 8 sixes, the fastest century in IPL history at the time. He was run out for exactly 100, and Rajasthan fell four runs short, but the fastest hundred by a No. 5 batter in the league had been set.
David Miller took the record in 2013. Kings XI Punjab were chasing 191 against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Mohali when Miller arrived at No. 5. He smashed 101 not out from 38 balls with a strike rate of 265.78, and Punjab won by six wickets. His knock showed how a No. 5 batter could win a chase on his own.
Ben Stokes moved the record to its current mark in 2017. His 103 not out against Gujarat Lions at Pune remains the highest score by a No. 5 batter in IPL history. It was his first T20 century, and it came in a real pressure chase with his team 10 for 3. That season the century was only the third hundred ever made at No. 5 or below in the IPL, after Pathan and Miller.
David Miller added two more entries after his 2013 record knock. He scored 94 not out from 51 balls for Gujarat Titans against Chennai Super Kings at Pune in 2022, finishing another tense chase with three wickets in hand. He also made 89 not out from 44 balls for Kings XI Punjab against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Hyderabad in 2015. No other batter has three knocks in the top ten at this position.
The record has stayed with Stokes since 2017, but Tilak Varma came closest in 2026. His 101 not out from 45 balls against Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad was the first century at No. 5 in the first innings of an IPL match. All three earlier hundreds were made in chases, so Tilak owns a unique piece of this record.
The rest of the list shows how explosive the slot can be. Kieron Pollard made 87 not out from 34 balls for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings at Delhi in 2021, striking at 255.88 to finish a chase of 219 with four wickets in hand. Rishabh Pant made 88 not out from 43 balls for Delhi Capitals against Gujarat Titans in 2024, Marcus Stoinis made 89 not out from 47 balls for Lucknow Super Giants against Mumbai Indians in 2023, and AB de Villiers made 89 not out from 41 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014.
What This Record Tells Us
The No. 5 list is the strongest of all the middle order positions. The record of 103 not out sits well above the No. 6 record of 91 and the No. 7 record of 88 not out, and four centuries have been scored here. Teams now trust their best finishers at No. 5, and this list proves why.
David Miller is the defining No. 5 batter of the IPL era. He owns three of the ten highest scores at this position, including the second highest, and his knocks came across nine seasons for two different franchises. When a team needs a finisher who can also rebuild, Miller is the template.
Seven of the ten knocks came in chases, which fits the role. The No. 5 batter is the one who walks in when the chase wobbles or when the finish needs a push. Stokes, Miller in 2013, Miller in 2022, and Pollard all finished winning chases. Pathan 100 is the highest score at No. 5 in a losing cause.
The strike rates are startling. Pathan scored at 270.27, Miller at 265.78, Pollard at 255.88, and Tilak at 224.44. A No. 5 batter who gets going can score faster than almost anyone else on the field, because the slot gives freedom: either the base is set and he can swing, or the game is slipping and he has to swing.
Tilak Varma entry in 2026 keeps the record fresh. New seasons keep adding names to this list, and the first innings century showed that No. 5 batters are not limited to chases. The record of 103 not out has stood since 2017, but the gap between it and 101 not out is small.
For more IPL batting records, read our list of most runs in an over in IPL and our list of fastest fifties in IPL. Big hundreds are tracked in our slowest centuries in IPL list, and the season leaders live in our orange cap winners in IPL page. For squad building context, see the IPL 2027 retention deadline, rules and purse guide, and check the official IPL site for fixtures and stats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who holds the record for the highest individual score by a No. 5 batter in the IPL?
Ben Stokes holds the record with 103 not out for Rising Pune Supergiant against Gujarat Lions at Pune in 2017. He scored it from 63 balls with 7 fours and 6 sixes in a chase of 162.
How many centuries have been scored at No. 5 in the IPL?
Four. Ben Stokes made 103 not out in 2017, David Miller made 101 not out in 2013, Tilak Varma made 101 not out in 2026, and Yusuf Pathan made 100 in 2010.
What is the fastest century by a No. 5 batter in the IPL?
Yusuf Pathan reached his hundred in 37 balls against Mumbai Indians at Brabourne Stadium in 2010. It was the fastest century in IPL history at the time.
Which player appears most often in the No. 5 top ten?
David Miller appears three times. He scored 101 not out in 2013, 94 not out in 2022, and 89 not out in 2015.
Has any batter scored a century at No. 5 in the first innings of an IPL match?
Yes. Tilak Varma scored 101 not out from 45 balls for Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad in 2026. He is the only batter to score a century at No. 5 in the first innings of an IPL match.
What is the highest No. 5 score in a losing cause?
Yusuf Pathan 100 for Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians in 2010. Rajasthan were chasing 213 and finished on 208 for 7, losing by four runs.
What is the second highest score by a No. 5 batter in the IPL?
David Miller 101 not out for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Mohali in 2013. He scored it from 38 balls at a strike rate of 265.78 in a chase of 191.
What is the latest entry in the No. 5 top ten?
Tilak Varma 101 not out from 45 balls for Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad on 20 April 2026.
Statistics updated through: 15 October 2026
