IPL: Five highest successful run chases in league's history

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most exciting T20 league in the game's history. While there have been numerous matches where mammoth scores have been chased down, there were matches where the smallest scores were defended as well. In the IPL 2024, Rajasthan Royals successfully chased a target of 224 runs in a last-ball thriller against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Garden, Kolkata. It was one of the best run chases and history will remember it forever. Apart from this, there were several other chases which are carved in the history of the tournament.

Let's discuss the five highest successful run chases in the history of IPL:

5. Sunrisers Hyderabad - 217/6, IPL 2023 vs RR

With only one batter scoring a half-century, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) successfully chased down the target of 215 runs in the IPL 2023 against the Rajasthan Royals. It was a collective team effort from all the players which helped the team win the match in the last ball. While Abhishek Sharma was the highest run-getter with 55 runs off 34 balls, Rahul Tripathi showed brilliance in batting with 47 runs off 29 balls. 

4. Rajasthan Royals - 217/7, IPL 2008 vs DC 

When the IPL just got started in 2008, nobody had imaged any team to chase down a total of 215 runs but Rajasthan Royals proved everyone wrong. They scored 217 runs with one ball to spare. In this match, Graeme Smith scored 71 runs off 45 balls while Yusuf Pathan scored 61 runs off 28 balls which was undoubtedly one of the best innings of IPL. Mohammad Kaif's cameo of 34 runs off 16 balls was the bonus for RR team. 

3. Mumbai Indians - 219/6, IPL 2021 vs CSK 

Mumbai Indians (MI) have always had an upper edge on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) which they proved in 2021 after chasing a huge target of 218 runs. Known as one of the best finishers in the MI team, Kieron Pollard showed his skills and scored an unbeaten 87 runs off 34 balls which took MI across the victory line. MI won the match with three wickets to spare in this last-ball thriller. 

2. Rajasthan Royals - 224/8, IPL 2024 vs KKR 

IPL 2024 is the year where runs have come easily, in short, it's the batters' year. Every bowler regrets being a bowler this year as they are hit all around the park with ease. Similarly, Rajasthan Royals successfully chased down a total of 224 runs against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with Jos Buttler's unbeaten 107 runs and Rovman Powell's 26 runs off 13 balls. For the KKR fans, it was a heartbreaking match, but for RR fans, it was one of the best matches ever seen in cricket history.

1. Rajasthan Royals - 226/6, IPL 2020 vs PBKS 

Three batters scored half-centuries which helped Rajasthan Royals score the highest run chases of IPL in 2020 against Punjab Kings. Steve Smith (50), Sanju Samson (85) and Rahul Tewatia (53) were the stars who chased down the mammoth total of 224 runs with three balls remaining. At one point, the match seemed to slip away from their hands, but the team managed to win the match with ease.