Punjab Kings hunted down 265 against Delhi Capitals on 25 April 2026 to complete the highest successful run chase in IPL history and in all of T20 cricket. The 265 for 4 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi broke the record Punjab had set themselves two years earlier, when they chased 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in 2024.
Chasing big totals used to be rare in the IPL. In the first 12 seasons only one chase crossed 215. That changed after 2020. Nine of the ten biggest successful chases on this list have come since 2020, and the top two have both gone past 260. This article lists the ten highest successful run chases in IPL history, with the scores, the venues and the stories behind them.
Highest Successful Run Chases in IPL Overview
The headline numbers of the record are simple. Punjab Kings own the top two chases, Rajasthan Royals appear in the top 10 more times than any other team, and every chase on the list needed serious power hitting from start to finish.
| Record | Holder | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Highest successful chase | Punjab Kings | 265 for 4 vs Delhi Capitals, 2026 |
| Venue of the record chase | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 25 April 2026 |
| Previous record | Punjab Kings | 262 for 2 vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2024 |
| Most top 10 entries by one team | Rajasthan Royals | 3 chases |
| Chases above 250 | Punjab Kings | 2 (265 and 262) |
Top 10 Highest Successful Run Chases in IPL
| Rank | Team | Score | Target | Opposition | Venue | Season | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Punjab Kings | 265 for 4 (18.5 overs) | 265 | Delhi Capitals | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 2026 | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2 | Punjab Kings | 262 for 2 (18.4 overs) | 262 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 2024 | Won by 8 wickets |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 247 for 2 (18.3 overs) | 246 | Punjab Kings | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad | 2025 | Won by 8 wickets |
| 4 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 230 for 4 (18.4 overs) | 228 | Lucknow Super Giants | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow | 2025 | Won by 6 wickets |
| 5 | Rajasthan Royals | 226 for 6 (19.3 overs) | 224 | Kings XI Punjab | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 2020 | Won by 4 wickets |
| 6 | Rajasthan Royals | 224 for 8 (20 overs) | 224 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 2024 | Won by 2 wickets |
| 7 | Mumbai Indians | 224 for 4 (19.1 overs) | 221 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 2026 | Won by 6 wickets |
| 8 | Mumbai Indians | 219 for 6 (20 overs) | 219 | Chennai Super Kings | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 2021 | Won by 4 wickets |
| 9 | Rajasthan Royals | 217 for 7 (19.5 overs) | 215 | Deccan Chargers | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad | 2008 | Won by 3 wickets |
| 10 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 217 for 6 (20 overs) | 215 | Rajasthan Royals | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | 2023 | Won by 4 wickets |
The 2026 record chase had everything. Delhi Capitals posted 264 for 2 after KL Rahul smashed 152 not out off 67 balls and Nitish Rana made 91 off 44, the two adding 220 for the second wicket. In reply Punjab lost early wickets but kept swinging. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh smashed 116 in the powerplay, Prabhsimran racing to 76 off 26 balls. Captain Shreyas Iyer finished unbeaten on 71 off 36 to take Punjab home with 7 balls to spare. Delhi’s 264 remains one of the highest team totals in a losing cause in IPL history.
The 2024 chase at Eden Gardens was just as wild. Kolkata Knight Riders made 261 for 6, and Punjab still won with 8 balls left. Jonny Bairstow stayed unbeaten on 108 off 48 balls and Shashank Singh finished 68 not out off 28. The two teams hit a combined 42 sixes, the most in any T20 match, in a game with 523 runs in total. It was the first 250 plus chase in IPL history.
Sunrisers Hyderabad sit third after their 2025 assault on Punjab Kings. Chasing 246, Abhishek Sharma hammered 141 off 55 balls with a 40 ball hundred, the highest score by an Indian batter in the IPL. He and Travis Head, who made 66 off 37, put on 171 for the first wicket in one of the great opening partnerships in IPL history. Hyderabad finished the job in 18.3 overs.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru earned fourth place in the final league game of 2025. Lucknow Super Giants had posted 227 for 3 behind Rishabh Pant’s 118 off 61. With a top two finish on the line, stand in captain Jitesh Sharma smashed an unbeaten 85 off 33 balls and Bengaluru reached 230 for 4 in 18.4 overs.
Rajasthan Royals’ 2020 chase at Sharjah deserves its own mention. Chasing 224 against Kings XI Punjab, they needed 51 off the last 3 overs and still won with 3 balls left, completing a comeback that still gets talked about among the fastest 200 plus chases the league has seen.
Record History
The record for the highest successful chase has changed hands only four times in IPL history. Each new mark stood for years before falling, until the scoring explosion of the last few seasons.
| Season | Record Chase | Team | Opposition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 217 for 7 | Rajasthan Royals | Deccan Chargers | Hyderabad |
| 2020 | 226 for 6 | Rajasthan Royals | Kings XI Punjab | Sharjah |
| 2024 | 262 for 2 | Punjab Kings | Kolkata Knight Riders | Kolkata |
| 2026 | 265 for 4 | Punjab Kings | Delhi Capitals | Delhi |
Rajasthan Royals set the first benchmark in the inaugural season, chasing 215 against Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad in April 2008. That 217 for 7 stood as the record for 12 years, through the entire 2010s. In September 2020 the same franchise broke it at Sharjah with 226 for 6 against Kings XI Punjab.
The 2024 jump was enormous. Punjab Kings did not just break the record at Eden Gardens, they smashed it by 36 runs and took the world record too, passing the 259 South Africa had chased against West Indies in 2023. Two years later Punjab broke their own mark again in Delhi. They are the only team to chase down a 260 plus target in the IPL, and they have now done it twice.
What This Record Tells Us
Nine of the ten biggest chases have come in 2020 or later. That is not a coincidence. Batting depth has grown, batters attack from the first ball, and dew in night games makes the ball skid on in the second innings. Totals near 220 that once felt safe are now chased down with overs to spare. Even 250 plus totals no longer guarantee a win.
Wickets in hand matter more than ever. The top three chases on this list all finished with at least six wickets standing, and the two biggest chases in T20 history lost only 2 and 4 wickets. Teams that keep batters back for the death overs can keep swinging even when the asking rate climbs past 13 an over.
Rajasthan Royals are the chasing specialists of the league. They appear three times in the top 10, more than any other team, and they held the record twice, in 2008 and 2020. Punjab Kings may own the top two spots now, but Rajasthan wrote the early chapters of this record. Big chases in the IPL playoffs follow the same pattern of fearless top order batting.
The venues tell a story too. Eden Gardens and the Arun Jaitley Stadium each hosted two of the top 10 chases. Small boundaries, true pitches and evening dew turn these grounds into chasing paradises, and captains now think twice before batting first on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest successful run chase in IPL history?
Punjab Kings chased 265 for 4 against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on 25 April 2026. It is also the highest successful chase in all of T20 cricket.
Which team holds the record for the highest run chase in IPL?
Punjab Kings. They hold the top two spots on the list: 265 for 4 against Delhi Capitals in 2026 and 262 for 2 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.
How many times has a 250 plus target been chased in the IPL?
Twice. Punjab Kings chased 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and 265 against Delhi Capitals in 2026. No other team has chased 250 plus even once.
Who scored the most runs in a single IPL chase?
Abhishek Sharma scored 141 off 55 balls for Sunrisers Hyderabad while chasing 246 against Punjab Kings in 2025. KL Rahul’s 152 not out in the 2026 record match came in the first innings, for the losing Delhi Capitals.
Which team has the most entries in the top 10 chases?
Rajasthan Royals, with three: 217 for 7 against Deccan Chargers in 2008, 226 for 6 against Kings XI Punjab in 2020, and 224 for 8 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.
What was the first 200 plus chase in IPL history?
Rajasthan Royals chased 215 against Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad on 24 April 2008, finishing on 217 for 7 with 3 balls to spare.
What is the highest successful chase at Eden Gardens?
Punjab Kings chased 262 for 2 against Kolkata Knight Riders on 26 April 2024, winning by 8 wickets with 8 balls remaining.
Was any 260 plus target chased before 2024?
No. The 262 by Punjab Kings in 2024 was the first 250 plus chase in IPL history. They then went one better with 265 in 2026.
Statistics updated through: 23 October 2026
