IPL 2023 was a season of big totals and fearless hitting, and Chennai Super Kings finished it as champions. CSK beat Gujarat Titans in the final to lift the trophy for the fifth time. The season was also full of short, explosive innings where a batter came in, hit everything, and changed a match in a handful of balls. This article ranks the highest single-innings strike rates of IPL 2023, explains how the list works, and looks at what made each innings stand out.
How Strike Rate in an Innings Works
Strike rate is runs scored per 100 balls. A batter who scores 12 off 3 balls has a strike rate of 400, which sounds extraordinary but may only be a late cameo. Because tiny innings distort the numbers, every list of this kind depends on a minimum runs cut-off.
That is why different websites show different “top 10” lists for the same season. Cricinfo’s innings table uses a minimum of 25 runs, while CricTracker’s table includes very short innings, such as 6 runs off 1 ball for a strike rate of 600.
For this article, I used a minimum of 10 runs, which keeps real cameos but removes one-ball slogs. Strike rates and runs come from CricTracker’s IPL 2023 innings table. After the main list, I also show the list with a 25-run minimum, which gives a better picture of genuinely impactful innings.
IPL 2023 Top 10 Highest Strike Rates in an Innings (Min. 10 Runs)
| Rank | Batter | Team | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahul Tewatia | GT | 20 | 5 | 400.00 |
| 2 | Glenn Maxwell | RCB | 12 | 3 | 400.00 |
| 3 | David Wiese | KKR | 12 | 3 | 400.00 |
| 4 | MS Dhoni | CSK | 12 | 3 | 400.00 |
| 5 | Jitesh Sharma | PBKS | 25 | 7 | 357.14 |
| 6 | Glenn Phillips | SRH | 25 | 7 | 357.14 |
| 7 | Nicholas Pooran | LSG | 44* | 13 | 338.46 |
| 8 | Ravichandran Ashwin | RR | 10 | 3 | 333.33 |
| 9 | Mark Wood | LSG | 10 | 3 | 333.33 |
| 10 | Rashid Khan | GT | 10 | 3 | 333.33 |
Balls faced are worked out from the runs and strike rate. Rank 1 to 4 and rank 8 to 10 are tied on strike rate.
1. Rahul Tewatia (GT): 20 off 5 balls, SR 400
Rahul Tewatia’s 20 runs came at a strike rate of 400, the joint-highest in this list. Tewatia’s role at Gujarat is clear: arrive late, clear the boundary, and finish the innings fast. Of all the entries here, his is the biggest of the 400-strike-rate innings, since 20 runs from five balls can swing the last over of a close game. His second entry on the CricTracker list, 20 runs at a strike rate of 285.71, shows he produced this kind of burst more than once in the season.
2. Glenn Maxwell (RCB): 12 off 3 balls, SR 400
Maxwell was one of the most consistent power-hitters of the season. He finished the tournament with a season strike rate of 183.48. His 12 off 3 balls was a quick burst that fits the way he plays: early intent, no warm-up, and a willingness to attack even when the field is spread.
3. David Wiese (KKR): 12 off 3 balls, SR 400
David Wiese played a limited role at KKR, so his 12 off 3 balls appears here as a brief but sharp appearance. Short innings like this explain why strike rate alone does not measure impact. They show good timing and clean hitting, but with only three balls faced, the runs rarely decide a match by themselves.
4. MS Dhoni (CSK): 12 off 3 balls, SR 400
Dhoni’s late-order hitting was a feature of the season. Over the full tournament, he scored 104 runs with 3 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 182.45. The CricTracker table also lists him at 13 runs at 325, which would place him just outside this top 10. These are exactly the cameos fans expect from him at the end of an innings. They add 10 to 15 runs in the last few balls, which can be the difference between a good total and a great one.
5. Jitesh Sharma (PBKS): 25 off 7 balls, SR 357.14
This is the first entry on the list that is both fast and substantial. Jitesh Sharma scored 25 off 7 balls with four sixes against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede on 22 April 2023. He described it himself as one of his memorable innings of the season: the one at Wankhede where he hit four sixes in six balls. For a wicketkeeper-finisher, this was a statement innings, and it helped him earn his India call-up later in the year.
6. Glenn Phillips (SRH): 25 off 7 balls, SR 357.14
Glenn Phillips scored 25 off 7 balls, with one four and three sixes, against Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur on 7 May 2023. The strike rate matches Jitesh’s exactly. Phillips is known for his range of shots and his ability to hit boundaries from the first ball, and this innings shows why SRH wanted him in the middle order.
7. Nicholas Pooran (LSG): 44* off 13 balls, SR 338.46
This is arguably the most impressive innings in the entire list, because it combines a big strike rate with a big score. Pooran made 44 not out off 13 balls, with three fours and four sixes, against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Hyderabad on 13 May 2023. Forty-four runs from 13 balls is a match-changing contribution, not just a late flourish. He appears again in the CricTracker table with a second very fast innings: 62 runs at a strike rate of 326.32. Two entries in the top of the strike-rate charts, both with real scores, is why many fans called him one of the season’s most dangerous batters.
8. Ravichandran Ashwin (RR): 10 off 3 balls, SR 333.33
Ashwin is known as a spinner, but he often bats with intent when Rajasthan need quick runs at the end. His 10 off 3 balls shows how useful a lower-order player can be when he comes in with a clear plan to hit.
9. Mark Wood (LSG): 10 off 3 balls, SR 333.33
Fast bowlers rarely appear on strike-rate lists, but Mark Wood’s 10 off 3 balls puts him here. Cameos like this usually come from simple, aggressive swings at the end of an innings, and they can add a few extra runs that matter in a close finish.
10. Rashid Khan (GT): 10 off 3 balls, SR 333.33
Rashid is a bowler first, but he has built a reputation as a useful hitter. He scored 130 runs in the season at a strike rate of 216.66, the highest season strike rate in that report. A 10 off 3 balls innings fits the pattern: he walks in, swings freely, and adds quick runs that help Gujarat’s finishing.
The List That Matters More: Highest Strike Rates with 25+ Runs
If you only count innings where the batter scored 25 or more, the story changes. These are the innings that actually shaped matches:
| Rank | Batter | Team | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jitesh Sharma | PBKS | 25 | 7 | 357.14 |
| 2 | Glenn Phillips | SRH | 25 | 7 | 357.14 |
| 3 | Nicholas Pooran | LSG | 44* | 13 | 338.46 |
| 4 | Nicholas Pooran | LSG | 62 | 19 | 326.32 |
| 5 | Tim David | MI | 45 | 14 | 321.43 |
| 6 | Tilak Varma | MI | 43 | 14 | 307.14 |
Tim David scored 45 at a strike rate of 321.43, and Tilak Varma scored 43 at 307.14. I have stopped at six because the sources I checked do not show the next entries for this cut-off. Check the official stats page if you want a full ten.
Longer Innings That Deserve a Mention
Not every great fast innings is a seven-ball cameo. Some of the season’s most memorable knocks were longer, and they matter more because they lasted. Ajinkya Rahane scored an unbeaten 71 off 29 balls for CSK against KKR at Eden Gardens, with a strike rate of 245, the highest of his IPL career. CSK scored 235/4 and won by 49 runs. Those 29 balls make it a better test of power-hitting than a three-ball cameo, because the batter has to keep scoring fast for longer.
What the List Tells Us About IPL 2023
1. Finishers dominated the charts. Tewatia, Jitesh, Phillips, Pooran, David, and Dhoni all bat late. These roles reward quick scoring, since they often face few balls.
2. Bowlers can also hit. Ashwin, Wood, and Rashid all appear. In T20, a bowler who can swing is valuable at number 9 or 10.
3. Context matters more than raw numbers. A 400 strike rate over three balls rarely decides a match, while 44 off 13 or 62 off 19 can. This is why the 25-run list is more meaningful.
4. Ties are common. Because short innings use small numbers, many batters share the same strike rate. Four players tied on 400 in this list, and three tied on 333.33.
5. Season-long consistency is different. A batter can have a great single innings and still finish the season with an average strike rate. Wisden noted that Rashid Khan had the highest strike rate of the season once a 50-ball cut-off was applied. Single-innings lists and season lists measure different things.
FAQs
Who had the highest strike rate in an innings in IPL 2023?
With a minimum of 10 runs, four batters tied on 400: Rahul Tewatia (20 off 5), Glenn Maxwell, David Wiese, and MS Dhoni (12 off 3 each). With a 25-run minimum, Jitesh Sharma and Glenn Phillips tied on 357.14.
Which innings had the highest strike rate with a big score?
Nicholas Pooran’s 44* off 13 balls (338.46) against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
How many sixes did Jitesh Sharma hit in his 25 off 7?
Four, against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede.
Who won IPL 2023?
Chennai Super Kings, who beat Gujarat Titans in the final.
Why do different websites show different top 10 lists?
Because each site uses a different minimum runs cut-off, which changes which innings qualify.
Does a high strike rate in an innings mean a great innings?
Not always. A big strike rate over very few balls may not change a match. Runs scored, balls faced, and match situation all matter.
Final Take
IPL 2023 gave fans plenty of explosive hitting. Tewatia, Maxwell, Wiese, and Dhoni topped the raw strike-rate chart, but the innings that mattered most came from Pooran, Jitesh Sharma, Phillips, Tim David, and Tilak Varma, who combined speed with real impact. If you read these lists carefully, the lesson is simple: strike rate tells you how fast a batter scored, but runs and context tell you how much it mattered.