Shubman Gill smashed 129 runs against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2023. That knock is the highest individual score ever recorded in an IPL playoff match. Nobody has beaten it in the seasons since, and it remains the only playoff score above 125. Virender Sehwag’s 122 in 2014 held the record for nine years before Gill took it away. Playoffs are the biggest stage in the IPL. The pressure is higher, the bowling is tighter, and every run feels harder to earn. That is why centuries in playoff matches are rare. Only seven batters have scored a hundred in an IPL playoff game across all seasons. This article lists the top 10 highest individual scores in IPL playoff history, with the record holder, the full table, how the record changed over the years, and answers to common questions.
Gill’s record knock came at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He faced 60 balls and hit 7 fours and 10 sixes. Gujarat Titans posted 233 for 3 that night, which is also among the highest team totals in playoff history. Mumbai Indians never got close in the chase. Gill won the Player of the Match award. Two years later he returned to the playoff record book with 104 against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026, becoming the first captain to score a century in an IPL playoff.
IPL Playoffs Highest Individual Scores Overview
The record for the highest individual score in IPL playoffs belongs to Shubman Gill. The table below gives the key facts about the record in one place.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Highest score | 129 runs |
| Record holder | Shubman Gill |
| Team | Gujarat Titans |
| Opposition | Mumbai Indians |
| Match | Qualifier 2, IPL 2023 |
| Venue | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Balls faced | 60 |
| Fours and sixes | 7 fours, 10 sixes |
| Result | Gujarat Titans won by 62 runs |
Top 10 IPL Playoffs Highest Individual Scores
The full top 10 list of the highest individual scores in IPL playoff matches. Every score below has been verified against official match scorecards. The list covers seasons from 2011 to 2026.
| Rank | Player | Score | Balls | Team | Opposition | Match | Season | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shubman Gill | 129 | 60 | Gujarat Titans | Mumbai Indians | Qualifier 2 | 2023 | Ahmedabad |
| 2 | Virender Sehwag | 122 | 58 | Kings XI Punjab | Chennai Super Kings | Qualifier 2 | 2014 | Mumbai |
| 3 | Shane Watson | 117 not out | 57 | Chennai Super Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Final | 2018 | Mumbai |
| 4 | Wriddhiman Saha | 115 not out | 55 | Kings XI Punjab | Kolkata Knight Riders | Final | 2014 | Bengaluru |
| 5 | Murali Vijay | 113 | 58 | Chennai Super Kings | Delhi Daredevils | Qualifier 2 | 2012 | Chennai |
| 6 | Rajat Patidar | 112 not out | 54 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Lucknow Super Giants | Eliminator | 2022 | Kolkata |
| 7 | Shubman Gill | 104 | 53 | Gujarat Titans | Rajasthan Royals | Qualifier 2 | 2026 | Mullanpur |
| 8 | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | 96 | 47 | Rajasthan Royals | Gujarat Titans | Qualifier 2 | 2026 | Mullanpur |
| 8 | Sai Sudharsan | 96 | 47 | Gujarat Titans | Chennai Super Kings | Final | 2023 | Ahmedabad |
| 10 | Murali Vijay | 95 | 52 | Chennai Super Kings | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Final | 2011 | Chennai |
Record History
The playoff record has moved upward in big jumps across the seasons. The story of the record is the story of four great knocks spread over twelve years.
In the 2011 final, Murali Vijay hit 95 for Chennai Super Kings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It won him the Player of the Match award and set a high mark for playoff batting. One year later he went past his own mark. In Qualifier 2 of 2012, Vijay smashed 113 off 58 balls against Delhi Daredevils at Chepauk. Chennai posted 222 for 5 and stormed into the final.
The 2014 season produced two record knocks. First, Virender Sehwag blasted 122 off 58 balls for Kings XI Punjab against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 2 at the Wankhede. Days later, Wriddhiman Saha made 115 not out in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders. Saha’s knock came in a losing cause, as Kolkata chased down the target. Sehwag’s 122 became the new playoff record and stood for nine years.
Shane Watson matched Saha’s feat in a final in 2018, carrying his bat for 117 not out against Sunrisers Hyderabad. His knock remains the highest individual score in an IPL final. Rajat Patidar added his name in 2022, becoming the first uncapped player to score a playoff century with 112 not out against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator. Then in 2023, Shubman Gill produced the greatest playoff innings of all. His 129 off 60 balls against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 set a new record that still stands. In 2026, Gill added a second playoff hundred, the first ever by a captain, with 104 against Rajasthan Royals.
What This Record Tells Us
Big playoff scores are rare because pressure changes how batters play. Only seven hundreds have been scored in IPL playoff matches across 19 seasons. That number tells the real story of this record. Even the best batters find it hard to dominate when a season is on the line.
Openers dominate this list. Nine of the ten entries came from batters who opened the innings. Openers face the most balls and get the most time to build a big score. Rajat Patidar is the only exception, batting at number three. Four of the top ten scores came in finals, which shows that the biggest stage can also bring out the biggest knocks.
The record also shows how aggressive modern playoff batting has become. Six of the top ten scores came in 2022 or later. Teams now attack from the first ball even in knockouts. Gujarat Titans feature four times in the top ten, the most by any team, which matches their strong playoff record since joining the league. Chennai Super Kings players appear three times, a sign of how often they reach the knockout stage.
Fans often compare this with the highest successful run chases in IPL playoffs, where Gill’s 2026 hundred powered a record chase of 215. Big individual scores and big team totals in playoffs go hand in hand, as the highest team totals in IPL playoffs list also shows. The official IPL website carries the full scorecards of every playoff match for fans who want to check each innings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the highest individual score in IPL playoffs?
Shubman Gill holds the record with 129 runs off 60 balls for Gujarat Titans against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2023 at Ahmedabad. He hit 7 fours and 10 sixes in that innings.
Who has the highest individual score in an IPL final?
Shane Watson holds the final record with 117 not out for Chennai Super Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2018 final at Mumbai. He faced 57 balls and hit 11 fours and 8 sixes.
How many centuries have been scored in IPL playoffs?
Seven centuries have been scored in IPL playoff matches. Shubman Gill has two, and one each belongs to Virender Sehwag, Shane Watson, Wriddhiman Saha, Murali Vijay, and Rajat Patidar. No century was scored in the 2024 or 2025 playoffs.
Who was the first captain to score a century in an IPL playoff?
Shubman Gill became the first captain to score a playoff century when he made 104 off 53 balls for Gujarat Titans against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 at Mullanpur.
Who was the first uncapped player to score a century in an IPL playoff?
Rajat Patidar became the first uncapped player to score a playoff century with 112 not out for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 Eliminator at Kolkata.
Which players have more than one 90 plus score in IPL playoffs?
Two players appear twice in the top 10. Shubman Gill scored 129 in 2023 and 104 in 2026. Murali Vijay scored 113 in 2012 and 95 in 2011.
What is the highest score by an opener in IPL playoffs?
Shubman Gill’s 129 in 2023 is also the highest score by an opener in IPL playoffs. Nine of the top ten playoff scores were made by openers, which shows how much time at the crease matters in big scores.
Statistics updated through: 16 October 2026
