The IPL 2026 will be launched by a game between the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28. After years of torture waiting, RCB was eventually crowned the champions in 2025 edition after defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad.
Columbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will play the second match of the IPL 2026 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29. The season will start on April 4 with the first double-header. The first game will be Delhi Capitals (DC) vs MI in the Arun Jaitley Stadium, and the second one will be Gujarat Titans (GT) vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Ahmedabad.
There are several foreign batting super stars who have been successful in the IPL over the years. In the run up to the 2026 edition, we examine the five foreign batters with the highest number of runs in the biggest T20 league across the world.
5. Jos Buttler (4,120 runs)
Jos Buttler, former England captain is ranked number five among the top overseas batters who have scored the most in the IPL. He has played 121 matches and made 4, 120 runs with an average of 40.14 and a strike rate of 149.38 including seven tons and 24 fifties. Buttler now plays IPL for GT and previously, he played under MI and RR. His highest of 124 was made on 64 balls on RR against SRH in 2021. The knock had eleven fours and eight sixes.
Buttler also made 83 appearances with RR, where he compiled 3,055 at average of 41.84 and strike rate of 147.79 with seven centuries and 18 fifties. He has all of his IPL tons with the team of RR. He also represented 24 matches of MI and scored 527 runs with a strike rate of 145.98, and one fifty. Buttler has to date played 14 games in GT with 538 runs with a strike rate of 163.03 and five half-centuries.
4. Faf du Plessis (4,773 runs)
Former South African captain Faf du Plessis is included in the list of the fourth most successful overseas batters in the IPL. In the T20 league, Du Plessis has appeared in 154 matches and scored 4,773 runs at an average of 35.09 and a strike rate of 135.78, and 39 fifties. He had a representation of four franchises in the IPL – CSK, RCB, DC and RPS. In 2018 and 2021, Du Plessis was a two-time champion with CSK.
Du Plessis appeared as the Player of the Final due to his 86 off 59 in CSK vs. KKR in Dubai, 2021. His best IPL scores were two 96s, 96 off 55 CSK vs. PBKS in Mohali in 2019 and 96 off 64 RCB vs. LSG in Navi Mumbai in 2022. In 92 and 45 games, Du Plessis had a strike rate of 131.44 and 146.99 respectively of 2,721 and 1636 runs in CSK and RCB respectively.
3. Chris Gayle (4,965 runs)
Currently, former West Indies captain Chris Gayle holds third place among overseas batters with the most runs in the Indian Premier League. He played 142 matches and amassed 4,965 runs at an average of 39.72 and a strike rate of 148.96, including six centuries and 31 half-centuries. Notably, he set the record for the highest individual score in the league with his blistering 175 off 66 balls against Pune Warriors India.
Gayle had 85 matches on RCB scoring 3,163 runs with an average of 43.32 and strike rate of 152.72 and five hundreds and 19 half-centuries. He had also played 41 games with PBKS with an average of 36.18 and a Strike rate of 143.20 and a 1 ton and 10 fifties. In addition, in 16 games with KKR, Gayle ranked 463 runs with an average of 30.86 and a strike rate of 141.59 and two fifties.
2. AB de Villiers (5,162 runs)
AB de Villiers, the South African icon, ranks second among overseas batters with the most runs in the Indian Premier League. He amassed 5,162 runs in 184 matches at an average of 39.70 and a strike rate of 151.68, including three centuries and 40 half-centuries. He began his IPL journey with Delhi Capitals (2008–2010); however, he rose to legendary status during his stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2011 until his retirement in 2021.
While representing RCB, De Villiers played 156 matches and scored 4,491 runs at an average of 41.20 and a strike rate of 158.63, registering two centuries and 37 fifties. Notably, he produced his highest score of 133 off 59 balls against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in 2015, smashing 19 fours and four sixes.*
Earlier, during his time with Delhi, he featured in 28 matches and accumulated 671 runs at a strike rate of 117.30. Furthermore, he delivered a standout performance in 2009, scoring 105 off 54 balls against Chennai Super Kings in Durban.
1. David Warner (6,565 runs)
Former opener to Australia David Warner is at the first position on the list of foreign batters who have the highest number of runs in the IPL. In the T20 league, Warner has played a total of 184 matches where he has scored 6,565 runs with an average of 40.52 and a strike rate of 139.77 including four centuries and 62 fifties. The southpaw was an IPL representative of two franchises SRH and DC.
The 2016 IPL champion SRH team under the captainship of Warner was also a winner. He played in the forefront and averaged 60.57 with 848 runs in 17 matches at the strike rate of 151.42 and nine half-centuries. In total, Warner has 95 SRH games with 4,014 runs, an average of 49.55 and a strike rate of 142.59 and two tons and 40 fifties. In 2017, he made his highest score of 126 on 59 balls vs. KKR in Hyderabad. In the case of DC, in 89 games, Warner recorded a hit of 2,551 and a strike rate of 135.54.
