IPL Centuries and Highest Individual Scores: The Complete Record Book
A T20 century is cricket's most electrifying individual achievement. In the fastest format of the game, scoring 100 off 120 balls is ordinary; scoring 100 off 40 balls is extraordinary. The IPL has produced both extremes, and the tournament's record books contain some of the most staggering individual batting performances in cricket history.
The Highest Individual Scores in IPL
| Rank | Score | Player | Against | Year | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 175* | Chris Gayle | Pune Warriors | 2013 | 66 | 13 | 17 | 265.1 |
| 2 | 158* | Brendon McCullum | RCB | 2008 | 73 | 10 | 13 | 216.4 |
| 3 | 132* | Chris Gayle | Delhi | 2012 | 62 | 10 | 16 | 212.9 |
| 4 | 128* | Chris Gayle | Kings XI | 2011 | 62 | 8 | 13 | 206.4 |
| 5 | 127* | Rilee Rossouw | Mumbai | 2016 | 56 | 9 | 14 | 226.7 |
| 6 | 124 | KL Rahul | SRH | 2020 | 62 | 5 | 14 | 200.0 |
| 7 | 123* | AB de Villiers | Gujarat Lions | 2016 | 52 | 9 | 12 | 236.5 |
| 8 | 116 | Murali Vijay | CSK | 2010 | 45 | 10 | 12 | 257.7 |
| 9 | 114 | AB de Villiers | Gujarat Titans | 2015 | 58 | 12 | 8 | 196.5 |
| 10 | 112* | Kevin Pietersen | Deccan Chargers | 2012 | 64 | 7 | 10 | 175.0 |
Chris Gayle's 175*: The Greatest T20 Innings
On 23 April 2013, Chris Gayle walked out to bat for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Pune Warriors India at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. What followed was the most devastating batting display in the history of T20 cricket. Gayle reached his century in just 30 balls — the fastest century in IPL history — and finished unbeaten on 175 from 66 deliveries. The innings contained 17 sixes and 13 fours, accounting for 133 of his 175 runs in boundaries alone. RCB posted 263/5, the highest total in IPL history at the time and still the tournament record.
Gayle's innings was built on a foundation of absolute power hitting. His 30-ball century broke the record for the fastest T20 century at the time (later broken in international cricket). The final tally of 175* has never been seriously threatened in the 12 years since.
McCullum's 158*: Where It All Began
Brendon McCullum's 158* in the inaugural IPL match on 18 April 2008 announced to the world that this new tournament was going to be unlike anything cricket had seen. Batting for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Bengaluru, McCullum's 73-ball assault set the tone for an entire era of T20 cricket. The innings was later described by McCullum himself as "probably the most important innings I ever played" for its role in legitimising the IPL as a serious cricket competition.
Virat Kohli's Centuries: Volume Over Peak
Kohli's 8 IPL centuries are the most by any player, though none rank among the top 10 highest individual scores. His hundreds are typically in the 100-115 range — built on classical technique rather than pure power — and have come in high-pressure situations where RCB needed a foundation. His average across century innings is 108, the highest among players with more than 4 IPL hundreds.
AB de Villiers: The Most Efficient Century-Maker
| Innings | Score | Balls | Strike Rate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs Gujarat Lions 2016 | 129* | 52 | 248.0 | Won |
| vs Gujarat Titans 2015 | 114 | 58 | 196.5 | Won |
| vs Sunrisers 2016 | 104* | 51 | 203.9 | Won |
De Villiers averaged 248 strike rate across his three IPL centuries — a figure that no other player with multiple hundreds approaches. His ability to accelerate from any ball in any over made him uniquely dangerous.
The Fastest IPL Centuries: Speed Records
| Balls | Player | Against | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Chris Gayle | Pune Warriors | 2013 |
| 37 | David Miller | RC Bengaluru | 2013 |
| 39 | AB de Villiers | Gujarat Lions | 2016 |
| 43 | KL Rahul | Delhi Capitals | 2018 |
| 45 | Murali Vijay | CSK | 2010 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest individual score in IPL history?
Chris Gayle scored 175* off 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Pune Warriors India on 23 April 2013 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. It remains the highest score in any T20 league match.
Who has scored the most centuries in IPL history?
Virat Kohli has scored 8 IPL centuries — the most by any player. He is followed by Chris Gayle with 6 centuries and David Warner with 4.
What was the fastest century in IPL history?
Chris Gayle scored his century off just 30 balls during his 175* innings against Pune Warriors in 2013. This was the fastest T20 century at the time and remains the fastest in IPL history.
Has any player scored two centuries in the same IPL season?
Yes. Virat Kohli scored four centuries in IPL 2016, the most centuries by any player in a single IPL season. He scored 973 runs that season — the most in any single IPL campaign.
What is the highest score in an IPL final?
The highest score in an IPL final is 110* by Adam Gilchrist for Deccan Chargers against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2009 IPL final, played in Johannesburg during the South Africa-hosted edition.