New Delhi: Last year in the Indian Premier League (IPL), teams crossed the 200-run mark a record 52 times. In the ongoing season, the 200-run mark has already been crossed 11 times in just 13 matches, with 61 games to go. This has now become a clear trend. Even during the 2026 T20 World Cup, broadcasters were even debating whether India could cross the 300-run mark. However, a Super Eight loss against South Africa in Ahmedabad provided the eventual champions with a reality check.IPL 2026 started on a high, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru chasing down a target of 202 runs in just 15.4 overs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. In the next match, five-time champions Mumbai Indians chased down Kolkata Knight Riders’ target of 220 runs in 19.1 overs. However, the following three matches saw a slight lull as the pitches offered a more balanced contest between bat and ball.
The run rate has increased significantly in the last four seasons. The run rate in IPL 2022 was 8.54. It increased to 8.99 in IPL 2023, then to 9.56 in IPL 2024 and further to 9.62 in IPL 2025. This steady increase clearly indicates an upward trend, and IPL 2026 is unlikely to be any different.The 200-plus total in the IPL has seen a huge increase. The first 10 seasons (2008–2018) produced a total of over 67,200 while the next nine seasons, including the ongoing edition, have seen totals of 207, a three-fold increase.Even during that period, there were 58 instances of 200-plus totals from 299 matches in the first five seasons (2017-21). From 2022, in roughly the same number of matches, the rate of 200-plus totals has increased to 159 occurrences — a 2.74-fold increase.
Growing imbalances
In a free-wheeling chat with TimesofIndia.com, Shamsi made a scathing comment on the growing imbalance in modern cricket, especially T20 cricket.“The balance is so much in favor of the batsmen that it is no longer fun,” he said.“Imagine in boxing if one fighter was asked to fight with one hand tied behind his back while the other could punch with both hands, would that be fair? Would that be fun?“In football, if one team was allowed to have a goalkeeper and the other team was not, would that be fair?“It feels like how badly the bowlers are being handicapped in most T20 games these days. For any sport to be entertaining, it needs a fair competition.”
IPL 2025 witnessed a record total of over 52,200. 11 out of 12 matches in the ongoing season have already been seen. (Photo: TimesofIndia.com)
While Shamsi has expressed serious concern over the growing imbalance, Jayawardene disagrees and does not see it as a major concern.“It’s not an easy question. There are many factors involved. In places like Australia, you have good wickets but big pitches, that makes a difference,” he told reporters on the sidelines of their match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.“In the IPL, the venues are smaller and the pitches are often good for batting, so hitting sixes naturally becomes easier. Today, in T20 cricket, the par score is around 180. Even in tough conditions, it is around 160, and on better surfaces it can go up to 200.“I still feel the bowlers are doing well. Their skill level is high, and I don’t see it as a major issue,” he added.
