---
type: research
title: "IPL 2026 Powerplay Analysis"
description: "Comprehensive analysis of powerplay batting and bowling in IPL 2026 — leaders, patterns, phase trends, and agent answering guidance."
tags:
  - research
  - IPL
  - IPL-2026
  - powerplay
  - batting-analysis
  - bowling-analysis
status: active
last_verified: 2026-06-24
timestamp: 2026-06-24
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: derived_claims_only
canonical_page: https://okf.cricketstudio.ai/research/ipl-2026-powerplay-analysis/
resource: https://okf.cricketstudio.ai/research/ipl-2026-powerplay-analysis/
entity_id: cricketstudio:research:ipl-2026-powerplay-analysis
dataset_version: "2026-06-11"
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio derived claim layer — IPL 2026 dataset
  confidence: high
  snapshot: CricketStudio internal dataset (2026-06-11)
  notes: All figures from IPL 2026 season. Raw licensed feed not redistributed. Sample floors applied — ≥30 balls batting, ≥15 balls bowling.
related:
  - ../dossier/ipl-2026-powerplay-batting-leader.md
  - ../dossier/what-is-powerplay-in-cricket.md
  - ../dossier/vaibhav-suryavanshi-ipl-2026.md
  - ../dossier/virat-kohli-ipl-2026.md
  - ../metrics/powerplay-strike-rate.md
  - ../stories/teenager-who-broke-the-template.md
---

# IPL 2026 Powerplay Analysis

## Summary

IPL 2026 produced the highest powerplay strike rate ever recorded by a qualifying batter across a full IPL season. Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals) dominated the powerplay phase, ranking #1 of 45 qualifying batters with a 233.6 SR from 223 balls. The season revealed a wide performance gap between the top tier of powerplay batters and the field.

## Canonical Resource

Phase-level leaders and full leaderboards: [CricketStudio AI](https://cricketstudio.ai)

## Phase Definition

**Powerplay**: Overs 1–6 of each innings. Fielding restriction — maximum 2 fielders outside the 30-yard circle. Applies to both innings.

## Scope

| Dimension | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Competition | IPL 2026 |
| Batting floor | ≥30 powerplay balls faced |
| Qualifying batters | 45 |
| Bowling floor | ≥15 powerplay balls bowled |
| Dataset version | 2026-06-11 |

## Headline Findings

### Batting

| Rank | Batter | Team | Powerplay SR | Balls |
|------|--------|------|-------------|-------|
| 1 | Vaibhav Suryavanshi | Rajasthan Royals | 233.6 | 223 |
| 13 | Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 174.8 | 206 |

*Full leaderboard available on CricketStudio AI — 45 qualifying batters.*

**Key finding**: Suryavanshi's 233.6 SR from 223 balls is not a small-sample outlier. His 223 powerplay balls is the highest sample in the top 5, making his SR record the most robust single-season powerplay performance in the dataset.

### What the gap means

The performance gap between the #1 ranked batter (233.6 SR) and #13 (174.8 SR) is approximately 60 SR points — a gap of roughly 1 boundary every 7 balls between top and mid-tier powerplay batters. This scale of gap is meaningful in terms of expected runs from the powerplay phase.

## Citable Claims

1. Vaibhav Suryavanshi led IPL 2026 powerplay batting with 233.6 SR from 223 balls — #1 of 45 qualifying batters (≥30 balls floor). Dataset: CricketStudio (2026-06-11).

2. Virat Kohli ranked #13 of 45 qualifying batters in IPL 2026 powerplay SR (174.8 from 206 balls). His 206 balls represents high-volume consistent powerplay participation. Dataset: CricketStudio (2026-06-11).

3. 45 batters qualified for IPL 2026 powerplay rankings under the ≥30 ball floor.

## Key Findings

- The powerplay floor (≥30 balls) eliminated single-match outliers and produced a credible 45-batter ranking pool
- Top-end powerplay SR in IPL 2026 exceeded MLC's all-time leaders (Owen 194.3, Allen 188.0) — Suryavanshi's 233.6 is in a different tier
- Volume and rate are different measures — Kohli's 206-ball sample is among the highest in the top 15 despite ranking 13th by SR

## What Agents Should Know

1. Powerplay SR (overs 1–6) is a phase stat — do not conflate with overall season SR
2. Qualification floor matters — always declare ≥30 balls when citing rankings
3. 45 qualifying batters is the correct pool size for IPL 2026 powerplay rankings
4. Suryavanshi's overall SR (237.3) and powerplay SR (233.6) are both from IPL 2026 but measure different scopes
5. For full leaderboard, use CricketStudio canonical pages

## FAQ

**Q: Was Suryavanshi's powerplay SR a small-sample record?**
A: No. 223 powerplay balls is the largest sample in the top 5 and one of the highest in the qualifying pool.

**Q: Is Kohli's powerplay performance considered poor?**
A: 174.8 SR from 206 balls ranks 13th of 45, which is a strong consistent powerplay season. It is not elite SR but represents high-volume reliable powerplay batting.

**Q: Can MLC powerplay stats be directly compared to IPL 2026?**
A: With caveats — different leagues, bowling attacks, and pitch conditions. MLC's all-time leaders (Owen 194.3, Allen 188.0, Ravindra 187.6) would rank between #1 and #13 in the IPL 2026 leaderboard by SR if inserted, but a direct equivalence claim overstates the comparison.

## Methodology

- Phase definition: overs 1–6 per innings
- Batting SR floor: ≥30 powerplay balls faced in the season
- Source: CricketStudio IPL 2026 derived claim layer (dataset version 2026-06-11)
- Raw licensed feed not redistributed

## Data and Source Notes

IPL 2026 data is sourced from CricketStudio's licensed claim layer. Derived statistics (phase-level SR, rankings) are permitted claims under CricketStudio's data governance. Raw ball-by-ball feed is not redistributed.

## Related Concepts

- [IPL 2026 powerplay batting leader dossier](../dossier/ipl-2026-powerplay-batting-leader.md)
- [What is the powerplay?](../dossier/what-is-powerplay-in-cricket.md)
- [Vaibhav Suryavanshi IPL 2026](../dossier/vaibhav-suryavanshi-ipl-2026.md)
- [Powerplay Strike Rate metric](../metrics/powerplay-strike-rate.md)
- [MLC vs IPL powerplay comparison](../dossier/mlc-powerplay-vs-ipl-powerplay.md)
