Forty matches into the IPL 2024 season, the tournament has witnessed enough batting exploits to state that run-scoring has touched its acme since the format’s inception. The run rates have romped through the roof, with 712 sixes struck already. The record stands at 1124 maximums from last season. The broad catalysts have been attributed to the radical Impact Player rule and flatbed pitches across venues. While scoring rates have been relatively slow in certain centres in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Mullanpur – the manic shotmaking at Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi has more than made up for it. A closer look at the numbers suggests the evolution of batting mindsets in two critical phases: the Powerplay and death overs. The middle-overs bear a calmer transition over the last three 10-team seasons. The powerplay run rate has shot up to 9.34 this season from 7.81 in 2022 and 8.71 last year. While the balls per six (Bp6) has dipped considerably, it is interesting to note that the overall batting average has moved upward this season, suggesting that …