Multan Sultans have 3 of the 5 biggest team totals in Pakistan Super League – but which PSL team has the highest?
The Pakistan Super League is set to start on Friday and with it come another 34 fixtures full of excitement, international stars and the potential of many more records broken.
As defending champions Islamabad United prepare to play the Lahore Qalandars in the opening game, let’s take a look at some of the highest ever scores recorded in the league.
The PSL has traditionally been a bowler-friendly tournament, with many of Pakistan’s finest seamers and spinners dominating the wicket charts over the years.
But every now and then, the batters come to the party in a big way – none more so than in recent seasons, where run-fests have become increasingly common.
Here are the seven highest team totals in PSL history, where the batsmen truly ran riot.
7. Peshawar Zalmi – 242 for 6 vs Multan Sultans (Rawalpindi, 2023)
In a high-octane clash at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium during the 2023 edition, Zalmi turned on the heat with an explosive batting performance.
Their 242 for 6 was built on blistering knocks from the top order, including a trademark assault from skipper Babar Azam and a fiery contribution from Saim Ayub. Despite losing a few wickets in the later overs, the damage had already been done.
The Sultans were left with a mountain to climb – though they’d soon return the favour in even more destructive fashion because, as it turns out, Zalmi’s score isn’t the only innings from the match that makes this list.
6. Quetta Gladiators – 243 for 2 vs Peshawar Zalmi (Rawalpindi, 2023)
In a 2023 season that was full of high-scoring games the Gladiators came out swinging with a point to prove as they were tasked with chasing down a score of 240 for two that was built around a knock of 115* from Babar Azam.
In a show-stopping run chase, they made a mockery of the target, racing to 243 for 2 to record one of the most dominant victories in PSL history.
The star of the show was Jason Roy, who hammered an unbeaten 145 from just 63 balls—the highest individual score ever in the PSL. With Roy in that kind of mood, no total was ever going to be safe. This crazy game saw a total of 483 runs scored for the loss of just four wickets.
5. Multan Sultans – 244 for 6 vs Peshawar Zalmi (Rawalpindi, 2023)
The game listed at seven on this list saw Zalmi win the toss and post a score of 242 for six. That’s a big score to chase.
But big chases need key batsmen to step up and contribute in style and that is exactly what happened as South Africa‘s Rilee Rossouw put his hand up and smashed 121 runs from 51 balls. He was well supported by Keiron Pollard as the Sultans reached the target with five balls to spare.
4. Multan Sultans – 245 for 3 vs Quetta Gladiators (Lahore, 2022)
Before the 2023 run bonanza, Multan’s 245 for 3 in 2021 was the gold standard for PSL team totals. Batting on a friendly track in Lahore, the Sultans put together a batting masterclass.
Rilee Rossouw was once again the batsman who dominated with 71, but there were also excellent knocks from openers Shan Maqsood (57) and Mohammad Rizwan (83) who both played scintillating knocks. What made this total stand out was not just the volume of runs, but the sheer efficiency with which they were scored—brutal, controlled, and unrelenting.
3. Islamabad United – 247 for 2 vs Peshawar Zalmi (Abu Dhabi, 2021)
In PSL season 2021 season, Islamabad United flexed their batting muscles with a massive 247 for 2, handing Peshawar Zalmi yet another taste of leather. Usman Khawaja – yes, the Australian Test match maestro – unleashed his T20 flair with a beautifully timed 105 not out off 56 balls.
The United top order was in full flow, with brisk starts and powerful finishes at both ends. The innings was a mix of classical stroke play and calculated aggression—as they posted a total that remains one of the finest batting efforts in PSL history.
2. Quetta Gladiators – 253 for 8 vs Multan Sultans (Rawalpindi, 2023)
The second highest score in the history of the Pakistan Super League came in a losing cause as the Gladiators sought to chase down a huge Sultans score. They made a great go of it with their 253 for eight as Omair Yousuf hit 67 and Iftikhar Ahmed 53.
But even as the runs flowed Abbas Afridi was picking up wickets, returning sensational figures (especially given the high-scoring context of the game) of five for 47 to ensure the Gladiators ended nine runs short of the PSL’s highest ever total…
1. Multan Sultans – 262 for 3 vs Quetta Gladiators (Rawalpindi, 2023)
The highest-ever total in PSL history came in a 2023 showdown that redefined batting dominance.
The Multan Sultans smashed 262 for 3, setting a new benchmark not just for the PSL, but for domestic franchise cricket around the world. Usman Khan was the architect of the destruction, belting 120 off just 43 balls – one of the most brutal innings in T20 history with a strike rate of 279.06.
The Gladiators had no answers as the boundaries kept flowing, with support from Mohammad Rizwan (55) and Australia‘s Tim David (43 not out). Even in the high-scoring landscape of 2023, this innings stood alone for its power and brutality. In total, this game yielded 33 sixes.