Kolkata Knight Riders once posted 272/7 the fourth-highest team total in IPL history. That’s not a one-off either. KKR smashed five of their top eight totals in a single season 2024. Their batting firepower has only grown over the years.
Here’s a complete breakdown of KKR’s biggest innings in IPL history, with the key performers and match results behind each one.
| Rank | Score | Opponent | Season | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 272/7 | DC | 2024 | Visakhapatnam | Won by 106 runs |
| 2 | 261/6 | PBKS | 2024 | Kolkata | Lost by 8 wickets |
| 3 | 245/6 | KXIP | 2018 | Indore | Won by 31 runs |
| 4 | 235/6 | LSG | 2024 | Lucknow | Won |
| 5 | 232/2 | MI | 2019 | Kolkata | Won by 34 runs |
| 6 | 223/6 | RR | 2024 | Kolkata | Lost by 2 wickets |
| 7 | 222/6 | RCB | 2024 | Kolkata | Won by 1 run |
| 8 | 222/3 | RCB | 2008 | Bengaluru | Won by 140 runs |
272/7 vs Delhi Capitals — IPL 2024
This is KKR’s highest score ever in the IPL. It came on 3 April 2024 at Visakhapatnam. And KKR didn’t just post a monster total — they demolished DC by 106 runs too.
Sunil Narine was the star with a career-best 85 off just 39 balls. He hit the ball to every corner and set the tone from the powerplay itself. It was the highest T20 score of Narine’s career at that point.
Young Angkrish Raghuvanshi chipped in with a brilliant 54 off 27 balls. Andre Russell added a quickfire 41 in the death overs. Together, these three pushed KKR past 270.
The truth is, DC never stood a chance chasing 273. Varun Chakravarthy and Vaibhav Arora ripped through their batting lineup. KKR bowled them out for 166, sealing a 106-run win — their biggest victory margin ever.
261/6 vs Punjab Kings — IPL 2024
KKR smashed 261/6 at Eden Gardens on 26 April 2024. Phil Salt and Sunil Narine gave the team a rapid start at the top. The middle order kept the pressure up through the innings.
Here’s the thing — 261 should win you any game. But Punjab Kings pulled off one of the greatest chases in IPL history. Jonny Bairstow’s unbeaten 108 off 48 balls powered PBKS to 262/2 in just 18.4 overs.
It was one of the highest-scoring games the IPL has ever seen. KKR’s bowlers simply had no answers to Bairstow’s assault. Despite the loss, 261 remains KKR’s second-highest team total.
This match proved that even 260+ totals aren’t safe in modern T20 cricket. The game has changed completely. Batting-friendly pitches and power hitters have made every score chaseable.
245/6 vs Kings XI Punjab — IPL 2018
KKR posted 245/6 against KXIP on 12 May 2018 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. This was a flat deck, and KKR’s batters took full advantage from ball one.
Sunil Narine led the charge with a blistering 75 off 36 balls. He attacked from the first over and never let the bowling settle. Captain Dinesh Karthik backed him up with a quickfire 50 off 23 deliveries.
KXIP managed 214/8 in reply, with KL Rahul scoring a fighting 66. But the target was always too steep. KKR won comfortably by 31 runs.
Fair to say, this innings showed that Narine’s move to the opening slot was a masterstroke. What started as an experiment became KKR’s most dangerous weapon for years to come.
235/6 vs Lucknow Super Giants — IPL 2024
On 5 May 2024, KKR batted first in Lucknow and put 235/6 on the board. Once again, Sunil Narine was at the heart of the destruction with a devastating 81 off 39 balls.
KKR controlled the innings from start to finish. The top order set a strong platform. The middle order then accelerated perfectly during the death overs to push past 230.
LSG’s chase crumbled under pressure. They were bowled out for just 137, losing wickets at regular intervals. KKR’s bowling backed up the big total with a ruthless performance.
What makes this special is how KKR’s batting and bowling worked together. Posting 235 and then restricting the opposition to 137 is a complete team effort. That’s championship-level cricket.
232/2 vs Mumbai Indians — IPL 2019
KKR scored 232/2 against MI at Eden Gardens on 28 April 2019. This was the highest total ever posted at Eden Gardens in IPL history at that time. And it ended MI’s eight-game winning streak against KKR.
Andre Russell was the match-winner with an unbeaten 80 off 40 balls. He hit 6 fours and 8 sixes — maintaining a strike rate of exactly 200. Russell in full flow is almost impossible to stop.
Chris Lynn scored 54 and Shubman Gill added 76 to build a rock-solid foundation. MI’s Hardik Pandya scored a brutal 91 off 34 balls in reply, but it wasn’t enough. KKR won by 34 runs.
Let’s be honest — this was the game that showed KKR could bully even MI. It was also KKR’s 100th T20 win, making it a historic night for the franchise.
223/6 vs Rajasthan Royals — IPL 2024
KKR put up 223/6 against RR at Eden Gardens on 16 April 2024. Sunil Narine scored a stunning 109 — his first-ever T20 century. He carried the batting lineup almost single-handedly.
But here’s where it gets wild. Jos Buttler responded with an unbeaten 107 for Rajasthan. He chased down 224 on the final ball, winning the match by 2 wickets for RR.
Despite the loss, Narine’s century was the highlight. A player known primarily as a mystery spinner scoring 109 in the IPL was something nobody expected. It redefined what Narine could do.
This match equalled the record for the highest successful chase in IPL history at that time. Two centuries in the same game — both match-defining. Absolute theatre at Eden Gardens.
222/6 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — IPL 2024
KKR scored 222/6 against RCB at Eden Gardens on 21 April 2024. Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings with 50 off 36 balls. Andre Russell delivered another all-round performance.
The good news is KKR won this one — but only by 1 run. RCB finished on 221, falling agonisingly short. Will Jacks scored 55 off 32 for RCB but couldn’t quite get his team over the line.
Russell’s 3 wickets for 25 runs in the bowling innings sealed the thriller. It was his all-round display that earned him the Player of the Match award. That’s the Russell effect.
One-run wins don’t happen often in the IPL. Defending 222 by a single run shows both the pressure KKR’s bowlers created and the razor-thin margins in this format.
222/3 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore — IPL 2008
This is where it all started. KKR scored 222/3 in the very first match of the very first IPL season on 18 April 2008. Brendon McCullum’s 158 not out remains one of cricket’s most iconic innings.
McCullum hit 10 fours and 13 sixes off just 73 balls. Nobody had seen anything like it in T20 franchise cricket. He single-handedly announced what the IPL was going to be about — entertainment.
RCB were bowled out for just 82 in reply. KKR won by a staggering 140 runs. It was the most dominant opening-night performance any league could ask for.
No surprise then that this innings is still talked about nearly two decades later. McCullum’s knock didn’t just set a KKR record. It set the tone for the entire IPL era.
Final Thoughts
KKR’s highest scores reveal something interesting — five of their top eight totals came in 2024 alone. That title-winning season wasn’t just about smart bowling or captaincy. It was about pure batting dominance.
Sunil Narine appears in almost every entry on this list. His transformation from a lower-order slogger to a genuine opening batter is one of the greatest reinventions in IPL history. KKR trusted the experiment, and it paid off big time.
With three IPL titles and a history of explosive batting nights, KKR’s biggest innings are only going to get bigger. The next 300 might just come from Eden Gardens.
Frequently Asked Questions:
KKR’s highest team total is 272/7, scored against Delhi Capitals on 3 April 2024 at Visakhapatnam. They won that match by 106 runs their biggest victory margin ever.
Sunil Narine was the top scorer with 85 off 39 balls. Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 54 off 27, and Andre Russell contributed 41 in the death overs.
Yes. KKR posted 261/6 against Punjab Kings in IPL 2024. But Jonny Bairstow’s unbeaten 108 off 48 balls powered PBKS to a successful chase in just 18.4 overs.
KKR’s highest score at their home ground is 261/6 against Punjab Kings in IPL 2024. Their 232/2 against MI in 2019 was the Eden Gardens record before that.
Brendon McCullum holds the record with his 158 not out against RCB in the first ever IPL match in 2008. Sunil Narine’s 109 against RR in 2024 is the second highest.
