The 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off on March 28 in Bengaluru. Before that, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s practice game left everyone buzzing, raising the question of whether the cash-rich league is set for an ultra-high-scoring season.
At the recently concluded T20 World Cup in India, 200-plus scores were common, with team totals in the 230-250-plus range appearing in high-profile matches. While scores frequently hit the 170-190 run mark, high-profile matches saw even bigger totals, with scores ranging between 230-250.
India hammered England and New Zealand in the semifinals and final, with the Men in Blue posting 253 for 7 against England and 255 for 5 in the final against New Zealand. Batters also maintained strike rates exceeding 150.
In the powerplay, the tournament saw explosive starts, with champions India averaging 55 and holding the joint-highest record (92 for no loss) against New Zealand. Several teams also exceeded 80 in the powerplay.
The kind of run-fest observed in the T20 World Cup was an indication of the run riot in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League, starting on March 28 with a clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Ahead of the kickoff of the IPL 2026, SRH ‘A’ piled up 253 for 9 in 21 overs. Abhishek Sharma hammered 94 runs off just 42 balls. Heinrich Klaasen (49 off 31) and uncapped 23-year-old Indian power-hitter Salil Arora, who was bought by SRH for Rs 1.50 crore, scored 47 off 16 balls. For SRH ‘B’, the franchise’s stand-in captain Ishan Kishan smashed 72 off 25 balls.
The IPL is already familiar with massive scores, with the 2025 season recording 52 totals of 200-plus, the most in a single edition. SRH, in fact, own the record for the highest total – 286 for 6. The second-highest score (278 for 3) also belongs to them.
Given the flat wickets and the depth IPL franchises have in their batting line-ups, it is very likely that the league is set for another high-scoring season, where batters will rule the roost.
SRH ‘A’ team’s score in the practice match was an indication of what is looming in the forthcoming season. Following SRH’s practice match, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was quick to write:
“A sign of the kind of scores we will end up seeing this IPL, especially from the men in Orange?”
While it remains to be seen whether Sunrisers Hyderabad can carry their form deep into the tournament, it will be intriguing to see whether IPL franchises retain the momentum from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and continue piling on massive 200-plus scores.