Sunrisers Hyderabad spin bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan explained why bowlers are under pressure with teams routinely posting totals of over 200 and said the Indian Premier League is designed to entertain the fans. The Sri Lankan legend added that the IPL is seen more as a commercial and entertainment product than a platform aimed at developing cricket.
This follows another match where a total of over 200 proved insufficient for victory. On Wednesday evening, April 29, SRH chased down the massive target of 244 set by Mumbai Indians with eight balls to spare. It was the second consecutive night of a successful 200-plus chase, after Rajasthan Royals defeated Punjab Kings on Tuesday, April 28. PBKS chased a record 265 against Delhi Capitals with six balls remaining.
MI vs SRH, IPL 2026: Highlights | Scorecard
Teams are now attacking aggressively in overs rather than slacking off in the innings, which has greatly increased the totals. Top order batsmen score much faster compared to middle order players and even designated finishers.
“I think it’s the wickets,” Muralitharan told reporters after SRH’s clash with MI when asked if the smaller boundary sizes were making it harder for the bowlers. “If we can score fair goals, but then the spectators will say it’s boring.”
Muralitharan stressed that the bowlers should not be blamed for conceding runs so freely, instead pointing to the pitch conditions and the wider structure of the IPL, which he said is tailored to maximize entertainment.
Highest team total in IPL
287/3 – SRH vs. RCB (2024)
286/6 – SRH vs. RR (2025)
/ – in KKR (2025)*
277/3 – SRH vs. MI (2024)
272/7 – KKR at DC (2024)
266/7 – SRH v DC (2024)
Antam ra barabar antam 300 kooda memey kodtham ani
pic.twitter.com/Whep3259Dp— ICE (@Vesavi_kaalam) May 25, 2025
ARE IMPACT PLAYER RULES ADDED TO MAN?
He also pointed to the player impact rule and how it contributes to high-scoring matches, ensuring fan engagement remains high and sponsors remain invested. The Impact Sub rule has added more depth to batting lineups and reduced the risk of early wickets as teams can strengthen their batting later. This allows sides to continue to play attacking cricket even after a poor start, as they often have specialist specialist batsmen at their disposal through the rotation option.
“Watchers in 2020 are very fun (oriented) so they want to see fours and sixes, so that’s why the tournament is built that way, and the extra player to come in and bat and (teams) to keep the scores from going down,” he continued. “So it’s fun. We don’t look at whether you’re developing cricket or not. So it’s a big business at the moment, isn’t it? Sponsors and everything. If you get bored with the game, you’ll lose sponsors and people’s interest.”
After 40 matches, IPL 2026 has already seen 31 instances of teams crossing the 200-run mark. Such totals have often been chased, with nine successful chases and more than 200 to date.
Despite high-scoring games, Eshan Malinga of SRH now owns the purple cap with 15 wickets to his name and Muralitharan believes the balance could eventually tilt back to the bowlers as they reassess and adapt their skills in response to the demanding conditions after the tournament.
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Published on:
30 Apr 2026 12:15 PM IST
