Follow UsPat Cummins already has the record for one of the fastest half-centuries in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and he has continued to flex his batting muscles in the 2025 season as well. He scored 18 off just four deliveries against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Hyderabad, and created the record for the highest strike rate in an innings by an IPL skipper.
Playing just the second game of the season, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) skipper played just four deliveries after the fall of the 6th wicket and faced the last two deliveries of the 17th over bowled by Shardul Thakur.
He smashed the fifth ball over the cover point boundary for a biggie, as the ball was short and wide. The last ball was a full toss and Cummins cleared his front leg and clubbed it straight back down the ground for another maximum.
He faced the second ball of the next over by Avesh Khan, and found a way to hit the off-pace delivery bowled on a length over the bowler’s head for yet another six. Unfortunately for SRH and him, he was dismissed the very next ball when he tried to clear the short third fielder with a well-directed shot. However, he was caught.
Still, he registered one more record and became only the fourth batter in the IPL to hit sixes off their first three balls. SRH ended with 190 in their 20 overs.
Records registered by Cummins:
Batters smashing sixes off their first three balls in an IPL innings
Sunil Narine (KKR) vs RCB, Sharjah, 2021
Nicholas Pooran (LSG) vs SRH, Hyderabad, 2023
MS Dhoni (CSK) vs MI, Mumbai, 2024
Pat Cummins (SRH) vs LSG, Hyderabad, 2025*
Highest strike rate in an IPL Innings for a captain
450 - Pat Cummins (SRH) vs LSG, Hyderabad, 2025*
425 - Ravichandran Ashwin (PBKS) vs RR, Mohali, 2019
400 - MS Dhoni (CSK) vs LSG, Chennai, 2023
400 - Kieron Pollard (MI) vs RCB, Abu Dhabi, 2020