Faf du Plessis: How MLC Got Its First Genuine Run-Scorer
The Question Nobody Asked
Who is the all-time MLC run leader — and does the margin over second place tell you anything about how MLC's first three seasons were structured?
What the Data Says
MLC All-Time Orange Cap — Seasons 1–3 (Cricsheet CC BY 3.0, 75 matches):
| Rank | Player | Team | Runs | Balls | SR | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F du Plessis | Texas Super Kings | 934 | 571 | 163.6 | 25 |
| 2 | N Pooran | MI New York | 928 | 640 | 145.0 | 28 |
| 3 | Q de Kock | MI NY / Seattle Orcas | 807 | 569 | 141.8 | 26 |
(Source: CricketStudio aggregation of Cricsheet CC BY 3.0, MLC 2023–2025, snapshot 2026-06-20)
Du Plessis career context:
- Former South Africa captain
- RCB captain in IPL for multiple seasons, including IPL 2025/2026 era
- Texas Super Kings: one of MLC's six founding franchises (the TSK / CSK connection is franchise branding)
For full MLC career stats and match-level data: players.cricketstudio.ai/leagues/mlc/players/f-du-plessis
The Wow
934 vs 928 — du Plessis leads Pooran by 6 runs across three entire MLC seasons.
That is the margin between first and second on the all-time MLC Orange Cap: six runs. Across 75 matches, 25 appearances, three seasons.
The six-run gap is not the interesting number. The interesting numbers are the strike rates: 163.6 vs 145.0. Du Plessis scored 6 more runs in 3 fewer matches and 69 fewer balls. He was the more efficient scorer across the same span — yet Pooran played more innings and had a different accumulation profile.
Both are legitimate paths to the top of the all-time table. They represent two different approaches to anchoring a franchise batting lineup across a three-season T20 career: du Plessis through efficiency and consistency, Pooran through volume and innings count.
What It Doesn't Say
75 total MLC matches is a small sample. The six-run gap between du Plessis and Pooran is well within the margin of a single mid-innings boundary decision. These are close all-time leaders, not a dominant #1.
The Texas Super Kings / CSK connection is franchise branding — TSK is an independent US franchise. Do not imply CSK ownership or management connections without official confirmation.
This story covers MLC Seasons 1–3 (through 2025). MLC 2026 Season 4 will update the all-time leaderboard — either du Plessis or Pooran (or a new entrant) could take the lead by the end of 2026.
Du Plessis's IPL career (RCB, multiple seasons) is not detailed here — the focus is his MLC contribution. For his full cricket biography, see the canonical CricketStudio page.