Chasing has been a preferred option by captains and teams in the IPL, especially in the first half of the season when pitches are fresh and batters are still adjusting to the surfaces.
But the major aspect that has played in teams wanting to chase has been the dew factor that makes a significant impact in night matches, with the losing captain often lamenting the dew.
Sometimes, openers have taken the onus on themselves to pull off a successful run chase. There have been a few instances of just the openers completing the entire chase.
Here are the top 5 highest run-chases in IPL without losing a wicket:
5. 155 by Deccan Chargers v MI (Mumbai, 2008)
The Mumbai Indians bowlers had to face the wrath of Adam Gilchrist and VVS Laxman, openers of the Deccan Chargers, when the pair gunned down the target of 155 in just 12 overs in their clash in the inaugural season!
In fact, it was just the Australian running the show – smacking 109* off just 47 balls (strike rate of 231, in those days!) while Laxman batted calmly for his 36 in 27 balls. MI used 7 bowlers in order to stop the rampant Gilchrist – but none could; 4 of those bowlers, in fact, went for over 10 runs an over.
4. 163 by MI v RR (Jaipur, 2012)
The legendary Sachin Tendulkar was involved in one such epic run-chase, against the Rajasthan Royals in 2012 in Jaipur. Tendulkar and his opening partner, the destructive West Indian Dwayne Smith, complemented each other very well securing the target of 163 in 18 overs without losing their wickets.
Dwayne Smith blasted 87* from 58 balls and Tendulkar played the second fiddle role nicely, scoring 58* off 51.
3. 178 by RCB v RR (Mumbai, 2021)
Opening for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Devdutt Padikkal slammed his maiden IPL ton – 101* off 52 balls – when he walloped the Rajasthan Royals bowlers all around the Wankhede in their encounter during the 2021 season.
Such was Padikkal’s night that he even overshadowed Virat Kohli, who made 72* off 47, as RCB made a mockery of the 178-run target, getting it in 16.3 overs.
2. 179 by CSK v PBKS (Dubai, 2020)
In what was a forgettable 2020 season as they missed a playoff berth for the first time, CSK did have a memorable game – against Punjab in Dubai. Given a target of 179, Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis, going neck to neck with each other’s total, took down the PBKS bowlers one by one and got their side over the line unscathed in 17.4 overs. Watson scored 83 in 53 balls and du Plessis scored 87 in 53 balls.
1. 184 by KKR v GL (Rajkot, 2017)
Perhaps the most one-sided big run-chase in the IPL because despite putting up a sizeable total of 184, the Gujarat Lions were blown away by the thunderous Chris Lynn and the bold Gautam Gambhir – the pair quite easily taking KKR over the line in just 14.5 overs as the Lions bowlers looks and helplessed powerless.
Lynn tonked 93 in 41 balls and Gambhir bludgeoned 76 in 48 balls; 5 out of the 6 bowlers Gujarat used leaked over 10 runs an over.
