The Indian Premier League, which is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world, boasts some of the best cricketers globally. The tournament has witnessed some outstanding performances that have resulted in thrilling games over the years. The IPL has transformed the game of cricket and given players a platform to showcase their talent, create milestones through their consistency, and break records after records.
One such record is scoring the number of half centuries in the IPL. Scoring half-centuries in the short format of T20 cricket is no less than hitting a century. While most of the aggregate IPL records are held by Indian players, this is not the case when it comes to scoring the most half centuries in IPL.
Here, we will explore the most consistent players for their respective franchises in IPL and who have scored the most fifties in IPL.
Top Two Players Scoring the Most Half Centuries in IPL
David Warner
David Warner, the skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad, holds the record for scoring the most 50s in IPL. He has registered a total of 53 half-centuries, which is the most for any player in the league. The aggressive batsman has won the coveted orange cap three times and is also the 5th-highest run-getter in the tournament. Warner has scored 5668 runs from 155 games at an impressive strike rate of 140.13 and with an average of 41.99.
Shikhar Dhawan
Next on the list is Shikhar Dhawan. Not only is Shikhar Dhawan the second-highest run-scorer in the history of the IPL, but he also holds the second spot on the list of players with the most fifties in the league. The left-handed batsman has accumulated 44 half-centuries and two centuries in 184 matches.
The Men in Blue skipper is on the 3rd spot. He scored 42 half centuries in the tournament so far with an aggregate of 6283 runs. Leading the Bangalore squad since 2013 until 2021, his batting average is 37.39 in the T20 Premier League and carries a strike rate of 129.94.
Now that we covered the top 3 hitters in the entire history of the league, here’s a list of the most fifties scored in the IPL in every season right from the start.
Players with Most Fifties in IPL from 2008 to 2022
| S. No | Player Name | Matches | Year | Most Fifties |
| 1. | Shaun Marsh | 11 | 2008 | 05 |
| 2. | Matthew Hayden | 12 | 2009 | 05 |
| 3. | Jacques Kallis | 16 | 2010 | 06 |
| 4. | Subramaniam Badrinath | 16 | 2011 | 05 |
| 5. | Chris Gayle | 15 | 2012 | 07 |
| 6. | Michael Hussey | 17 | 2013 | 06 |
| 7. | David Warner | 14 | 2014 | 06 |
| 8. | David Warner | 14 | 2015 | 07 |
| 9. | David Warner | 17 | 2016 | 07 |
| 10. | Robin Uthappa | 14 | 2017 | 05 |
| 11. | Kane Williamson | 17 | 2018 | 08 |
| 12. | David Warner | 12 | 2019 | 08 |
| 13. | KL Rahul | 14 | 2020 | 05 |
| 14. | Faf Du Plessis | 16 | 2021 | 06 |
| 15. | David Warner | 12 | 2022 | 05 |
Most Fifties in IPL 2008
The beginning of the 2008 season of the Indian Premier League was electrifying, as Brendon McCullum set the tone by smashing a magnificent century in the opening match. However, by the end of the tournament, it was Shaun Marsh from Kings XI Punjab who emerged as the top scorer and won the coveted ‘Orange Cap’ for scoring the most runs.
Marsh notched up an impressive total of 616 runs in just 11 matches, at a stunning strike rate of 139.68 and an average of 68.44. In addition, Marsh also holds the record for scoring the most fifties in IPL 2008, having scored five fifties and one century in 11 games.
Most Fifties in IPL 2009
Matthew Hayden from the Chennai Super Kings emerged as the player with the most fifties in IPL 2009, having scored five fifties in 12 matches. He was also the leading run-scorer of the tournament. The towering Australian cricketer was in magnificent form, scoring an impressive 572 runs in just 12 matches, at a remarkable strike rate of 144.81. Hayden’s towering presence and ability to score runs at a quick pace made him one of the most feared batsmen in the competition.
Most Fifties in IPL 2010
The IPL 2010 season saw some exceptional batting performances from a number of players, with several managing to score multiple fifties throughout the tournament. The player with the most half centuries in IPL 2010 was Jacques Kallis, the iconic African all-rounder who played for KKR. Kallis was in sublime form throughout the season, scoring 572 runs in just 16 matches at an average of 47.53 and a strike rate of 115.78. He notched up six fifties, making him the standout performer with the bat that year. Kallis’ consistency and ability to score runs at crucial moments made him a vital asset for the KKR.
Most Fifties in IPL 2011
Subramaniam Badrinath was a key member of the Chennai Super Kings team that won the title in 2011. He scored five 50s during that campaign, which is the most in that season. Badrinath also scored a total of 396 runs in the 14 matches he played at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 124.21.
Badrinath displayed his consistency and ability to perform under pressure. His contributions with the bat were crucial to Chennai Super Kings’ successful campaign, and he proved to be a reliable middle-order batsman for the team.
Most Fifties in IPL 2012
Chris Gayle delivered an outstanding performance in the Indian Premier League 2012 while representing Royal Challengers Bangalore. He scored 733 runs off 14 innings with an average of 61.08 and a strike rate of 160.74. His highest score of the season was 128 not out, which was also the best score by any IPL cricketer in the 2012 season. Additionally, he hit seven 50s during the season, which was the most half centuries in IPL 2012 by any player.
Most Fifties in IPL 2013
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Michael Hussey played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and was one of the team’s key players. During the 6th edition of the IPL, he was the leading run-scorer for CSK and also the player with the most fifties in IPL 2013. He scored a total of 733 runs in 16 matches, including six half-centuries, with an average of 52.35 and a strike rate of 129.50.
Hussey played for CSK in the IPL from 2008 to 2015 and was an integral part of the team’s success during that period. He won the IPL title twice with CSK in 2010 and 2011. Hussey retired from international cricket in 2013 and from all forms of cricket in 2018.
Most Fifties in IPL 2014
David Warner had a fantastic season in 2014, scoring the most half centuries in IPL 2014 among all players in the tournament. He represented Sunrisers Hyderabad and played in all 14 matches of the season. In this season, Warner scored a total of 528 runs at an average of 48.00 and a strike rate of 140.80.
He hit six half-centuries, which was the most by any player that season. Warner’s best innings of the season came against the Kolkata Knight Riders, where he scored a brilliant 91 off just 55 balls. He also had a couple of other innings in the 70s, including a 72 not out against the Delhi Daredevils.
Most Fifties in IPL 2015
David Warner was one of the most successful batsmen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2015 season. Warner scored a total of 562 runs in 14 matches at an average of 43.23 and a strike rate of 156.54. He also hit the most fifties in IPL 2015, scoring seven half-centuries in total. Warner’s highest score of the season was 91, which he scored against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Most Fifties in IPL 2016
David Warner continued his exceptional form in theT20 Premier League 2016 season once again playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was their leading run-scorer and one of the top batsmen of the tournament. Warner scored a total of 848 runs in 17 matches at an average of 60.57 and a strike rate of 151.42. By scoring 9 half centuries, Warner again made to the list of the players who scored the most half centuries in IPL 2016.
Most Fifties in IPL 2017
Robin Uthappa had a successful season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017, playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. He was one of the most consistent performers in the tournament and scored a number of important runs for his team. Uthappa scored a total of 388 runs in 14 matches at an average of 29.84 and a strike rate of 165.11. He also scored the most fifties in IPL 2017, scoring five half-centuries in total.
Most Fifties in IPL 2018
Kane Williamson had a stellar season in the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL), playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was their leading run-scorer and one of the top batsmen of the tournament. Williamson scored a total of 735 runs in 17 matches at an average of 52.50 and a strike rate of 142.44. He hit 8 half-centuries during that season. He was named the Orange Cap winner for being the leading run-scorer of the tournament.
Most Fifties in IPL 2019
David Warner had a brilliant season in 2019 when playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite missing the previous season due to a ball-tampering ban, he returned to the league with a bang and was one of the top performers of the tournament. Warner scored a total of 692 runs in 12 matches at an average of 69.20 and a strike rate of 143.86. He hit eight half-centuries during the season. Warner’s highest score of the season was 100 not out.
Most Fifties in IPL 2020
KL Rahul had an exceptional performance in 2020, where he played for Kings XI Punjab. He scored the most fifties in IPL 2020, with a total of five half-centuries in 14 matches. He was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, scoring a total of 670 runs with an average of 55.83 and a strike rate of 129.34. KL Rahul’s highest score in IPL 2020 was 132*runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Most Fifties in IPL 2021
Faf Du Plessis is known for his explosive batting and athletic fielding. He has been a consistent performer for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Faf Du Plessis had a remarkable performance, topping the list of players scoring the most half centuries in IPL 2021 with a total of six half-centuries in 16 matches. He was the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, scoring a total of 633 runs with an average of 45.21 and a strike rate of 138.21.
Most Fifties in IPL 2022
David Warner tops the list of players once again amongst those scoring the most half centuries in IPL. In IPL 2022, he scored 5 half-centuries in 12 matches. He amassed a total of 432 runs in 12 matches with an average of 48.00.
The T20 Premier League is an extraordinary platform for cricketers to showcase their talent on a global scale and create milestones through their consistent performance. Scoring 50s at a consistent rate with a decent strike rate is a very tough task. These players have proved their mettle in the short format of T20 cricket by scoring the most half-centuries in the IPL, which is no less than hitting a century.
Closing Words
For now, the record for most fifties in IPL is held by David Warner, who topped the list five times during his IPL career. It will be exciting to see if new players can manage to break these records and add new figures in the list of most half-centuries in IPL in the upcoming seasons of the league.
