5 Top knocks by Glenn Maxwell in IPL history

Glenn Maxwell has always been cricket’s most entertaining contradiction. A brilliant improviser who can win a game in a single over and an unpredictable performer who frustrates as often as he dazzles. Across more than a decade in the IPL, he’s delivered innings that are textbook power-hitting and moments that feel invented on the spot. Here are five of his best IPL knocks, not just big scores, but innings that shaped matches and showcased what Maxwell does best.

1. 95 Vs. Chennai Super Kings

Glenn Maxwell was in his best form in this IPL season. 2014 saw a completely different side if Maxwell’s game, which ultimately led him to being called as the “Big Show” later on. He scored a brilliant knock of 95 runs off just 43 balls against Dhoni's Chennai. 

It was memorable as it came against the top Chennai side in a mammoth run chase of 206. He smashed 15 boundaries and 2 over-boundaries. Maxwell earned the man of the tournament award in the 2014 IPL edition.

2. 95 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sharjah (22 Apr 2014)

Maxwell’s 95 off 43 balls for Kings XI Punjab was the innings that properly announced him in the IPL. Coming into a top-order that had already seen fireworks, Maxwell took control with brutal, clean hitting with 15 fours and nine sixes and changed the game from the moment he settled. 

It wasn’t just the boundary count; it was the acceleration pattern. He punished anything short, pulled with disdain, and turned a competitive total into a commanding one. That knock remains his joint-highest in the league and a reminder of his ability to dismantle bowling plans in a hurry.

3. 90 (38 balls) vs Chennai Super Kings, Mohali (7 May 2014)

A few weeks later, Maxwell produced another Miami-ball innings: 90 off 38 to take Kings XI to 231. This was power with tempo as he mixed brutal six-hitting with clever placement, and kept the scoreboard ticking through quick running. 

The strike-rate and the context (a huge total against a top team at a big venue) gave this innings extra weight. It wasn’t just eye candy; it was match-defining. Watching Maxwell in this phase felt like watching a batter invent new scoring zones.

4. 89 vs Rajasthan Royals, Sharjah (20 Apr 2014)

In that 2014 purple patch, Maxwell also scored 89 off 43 balls against the Rajasthan Royals. Three huge knocks in quick succession — 89, 95 and 90 across the campaign established him as one of the tournament’s most dangerous hitters. 

The 89 was textbook Maxwell: premeditated brute force blended with sudden, creative improvisation. It kept bowlers guessing and gave Kings XI a level of finishing depth rarely seen from a No.4 at the time. The season saw probably the most that the batter has ever been.

5. 78 vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai (18 Apr 2021)

Fast-forward to his RCB years: Maxwell’s 78 off 49 against KKR in 2021 was the archetype of his matured role with less reckless slogging, more controlled devastation. In a partnership with AB de Villiers, Maxwell paced his assault, accelerating when the time was right and steering RCB past 200. 

This innings showed Maxwell’s evolution as he wasn’t just a late-over bomber anymore; he could construct a big innings and play the anchor/accelerator role within the same knock.

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