diff --git a/benchmarks/README.md b/benchmarks/README.md
index df602ea538102..a4ddb09e0771c 100644
--- a/benchmarks/README.md
+++ b/benchmarks/README.md
@@ -900,3 +900,44 @@ This command will:
 ```
 
 This runs queries against the pre-sorted dataset with the `--sorted-by EventTime` flag, which informs DataFusion that the data is pre-sorted, allowing it to optimize away redundant sort operations.
+
+## Sort Pushdown
+
+Benchmarks for sort pushdown optimizations on TPC-H lineitem data (SF=1).
+
+### Variants
+
+| Benchmark | Description |
+|-----------|-------------|
+| `sort_pushdown` | Baseline — no `WITH ORDER`, tests standard sort behavior |
+| `sort_pushdown_sorted` | With `WITH ORDER` — tests sort elimination on sorted files |
+| `sort_pushdown_inexact` | Inexact path (`--sorted` DESC) — multi-file with scrambled RGs, tests reverse scan + RG reorder |
+| `sort_pushdown_inexact_unsorted` | No `WITH ORDER` — same data, tests Unsupported path + RG reorder |
+| `sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap` | Multi-file scrambled RGs — streaming data scenario |
+
+### Queries
+
+**sort_pushdown / sort_pushdown_sorted** (q1-q8):
+- q1-q4: ASC queries (sort elimination with `--sorted`)
+- q5-q8: DESC LIMIT queries (reverse scan + TopK optimization with `--sorted`)
+
+**sort_pushdown_inexact** (q1-q4): DESC LIMIT queries on scrambled data
+
+### Data Generation
+
+The inexact/overlap data requires pyarrow (`pip install pyarrow`) to generate
+multi-file parquet with scrambled row group order. DataFusion's COPY cannot produce
+narrow-range RGs in scrambled order because the parquet writer merges rows from
+adjacent chunks at RG boundaries.
+
+### Running
+
+```bash
+# Generate data and run all sort pushdown benchmarks
+./bench.sh data sort_pushdown
+./bench.sh data sort_pushdown_inexact
+./bench.sh run sort_pushdown
+./bench.sh run sort_pushdown_sorted
+./bench.sh run sort_pushdown_inexact
+./bench.sh run sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap
+```
diff --git a/benchmarks/bench.sh b/benchmarks/bench.sh
index aa1ec477345c6..6c5e0e483e15c 100755
--- a/benchmarks/bench.sh
+++ b/benchmarks/bench.sh
@@ -109,9 +109,9 @@ clickbench_extended:    ClickBench \"inspired\" queries against a single parquet
 # Sort Pushdown Benchmarks
 sort_pushdown:          Sort pushdown baseline (no WITH ORDER) on TPC-H data (SF=1)
 sort_pushdown_sorted:   Sort pushdown with WITH ORDER — tests sort elimination on non-overlapping files
-sort_pushdown_inexact:  Sort pushdown Inexact path (--sorted DESC) — tests reverse scan + RG reorder
-sort_pushdown_inexact_unsorted: Sort pushdown Inexact path (no WITH ORDER) — tests Unsupported path + RG reorder
-sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap: Sort pushdown Inexact path — partially overlapping RGs (streaming data scenario)
+sort_pushdown_inexact:  Sort pushdown Inexact path (--sorted DESC) — multi-file with scrambled RGs, tests reverse scan + RG reorder
+sort_pushdown_inexact_unsorted: Sort pushdown Inexact path (no WITH ORDER) — same data, tests Unsupported path + RG reorder
+sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap: Sort pushdown Inexact path — multi-file scrambled RGs (streaming data scenario)
 
 # Sorted Data Benchmarks (ORDER BY Optimization)
 clickbench_sorted:     ClickBench queries on pre-sorted data using prefer_existing_sort (tests sort elimination optimization)
@@ -1154,10 +1154,23 @@ run_sort_pushdown_sorted() {
 
 # Generates data for sort pushdown Inexact benchmark.
 #
-# Produces a single large lineitem parquet file where row groups have
-# NON-OVERLAPPING but OUT-OF-ORDER l_orderkey ranges (each RG internally
-# sorted, RGs shuffled). This simulates append-heavy workloads where data
-# is written in batches at different times.
+# Produces multiple parquet files where each file has MULTIPLE row groups
+# with scrambled RG order. This tests both:
+#   - Row-group-level reorder within each file (reorder_by_statistics)
+#   - TopK threshold initialization from RG statistics
+#
+# Strategy:
+# 1. Write a single sorted file with small (100K-row) RGs (~61 RGs total).
+# 2. Use pyarrow to redistribute RGs into N_FILES files, scrambling the
+#    RG order within each file using a deterministic permutation.
+#    Each file gets ~61/N_FILES RGs with narrow, non-overlapping ranges
+#    but in scrambled order.
+#
+# Writing a single file with ORDER BY scramble does NOT work: the parquet
+# writer merges rows from adjacent chunks at RG boundaries, widening
+# ranges and defeating reorder_by_statistics.
+#
+# Requires pyarrow (pip install pyarrow).
 data_sort_pushdown_inexact() {
     INEXACT_DIR="${DATA_DIR}/sort_pushdown_inexact/lineitem"
     if [ -d "${INEXACT_DIR}" ] && [ "$(ls -A ${INEXACT_DIR}/*.parquet 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
@@ -1165,7 +1178,14 @@ data_sort_pushdown_inexact() {
         return
     fi
 
-    echo "Generating sort pushdown Inexact benchmark data (single file, shuffled RGs)..."
+    # Check pyarrow dependency (needed to split/scramble RGs)
+    if ! python3 -c "import pyarrow" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "Error: pyarrow is required for sort pushdown Inexact data generation."
+        echo "Install with: pip install pyarrow"
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    echo "Generating sort pushdown Inexact benchmark data (multi-file, scrambled RGs)..."
 
     # Re-use the sort_pushdown data as the source (generate if missing)
     data_sort_pushdown
@@ -1173,65 +1193,111 @@ data_sort_pushdown_inexact() {
     mkdir -p "${INEXACT_DIR}"
     SRC_DIR="${DATA_DIR}/sort_pushdown/lineitem"
 
-    # Use datafusion-cli to bucket rows into 64 groups by a deterministic
-    # scrambler, then sort within each bucket by orderkey. This produces
-    # ~64 RG-sized segments where each has a tight orderkey range but the
-    # segments appear in scrambled (non-sorted) order in the file.
+    # Step 1: Write a single sorted file with small (100K-row) RGs
+    TMPFILE="${INEXACT_DIR}/_sorted_small_rgs.parquet"
     (cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && cargo run --release -p datafusion-cli -- -c "
         CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE src
         STORED AS PARQUET
         LOCATION '${SRC_DIR}';
 
-        COPY (
-            SELECT * FROM src
-            ORDER BY
-                (l_orderkey * 1664525 + 1013904223) % 64,
-                l_orderkey
-        )
-        TO '${INEXACT_DIR}/shuffled.parquet'
+        COPY (SELECT * FROM src ORDER BY l_orderkey)
+        TO '${TMPFILE}'
         STORED AS PARQUET
         OPTIONS ('format.max_row_group_size' '100000');
     ")
 
-    echo "Sort pushdown Inexact shuffled data generated at ${INEXACT_DIR}"
+    # Step 2: Redistribute RGs into 3 files with scrambled RG order.
+    # Each file gets ~20 RGs. RG assignment: rg_idx % 3 determines file,
+    # permutation (rg_idx * 41 + 7) % n scrambles the order within file.
+    python3 -c "
+import pyarrow.parquet as pq
+
+pf = pq.ParquetFile('${TMPFILE}')
+n = pf.metadata.num_row_groups
+n_files = 3
+
+# Assign each RG to a file, scramble order within each file
+file_rgs = [[] for _ in range(n_files)]
+for rg_idx in range(n):
+    slot = (rg_idx * 41 + 7) % n  # scrambled index
+    file_id = slot % n_files
+    file_rgs[file_id].append(rg_idx)
+
+# Write each file with its assigned RGs (in scrambled order)
+for file_id in range(n_files):
+    rgs = file_rgs[file_id]
+    if not rgs:
+        continue
+    tables = [pf.read_row_group(rg) for rg in rgs]
+    writer = pq.ParquetWriter(
+        '${INEXACT_DIR}/part_%03d.parquet' % file_id,
+        pf.schema_arrow)
+    for t in tables:
+        writer.write_table(t)
+    writer.close()
+    print(f'File part_{file_id:03d}.parquet: {len(rgs)} RGs')
+"
+
+    rm -f "${TMPFILE}"
+    echo "Sort pushdown Inexact data generated at ${INEXACT_DIR}"
     ls -la "${INEXACT_DIR}"
 
-    # Also generate a file with partially overlapping row groups.
-    # Simulates streaming data with network delays: each chunk is mostly
-    # in order but has a small overlap with the next chunk (±5% of the
-    # chunk range). This is the pattern described by @adriangb — data
-    # arriving with timestamps that are generally increasing but with
-    # network-induced jitter causing small overlaps between row groups.
+    # Also generate overlap data: same strategy but with different file count
+    # and permutation. Simulates streaming data with network delays where
+    # chunks arrive out of sequence.
+    #
+    # Requires pyarrow (pip install pyarrow).
     OVERLAP_DIR="${DATA_DIR}/sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap/lineitem"
     if [ -d "${OVERLAP_DIR}" ] && [ "$(ls -A ${OVERLAP_DIR}/*.parquet 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
         echo "Sort pushdown Inexact overlap data already exists at ${OVERLAP_DIR}"
         return
     fi
 
-    echo "Generating sort pushdown Inexact overlap data (partially overlapping RGs)..."
+    echo "Generating sort pushdown Inexact overlap data (multi-file, scrambled RGs)..."
     mkdir -p "${OVERLAP_DIR}"
 
+    # Step 1: Write a single sorted file with small (100K-row) RGs
+    TMPFILE="${OVERLAP_DIR}/_sorted_small_rgs.parquet"
     (cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && cargo run --release -p datafusion-cli -- -c "
         CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE src
         STORED AS PARQUET
         LOCATION '${SRC_DIR}';
 
-        -- Add jitter to l_orderkey: shift each row by a random-ish offset
-        -- proportional to its position. This creates overlap between adjacent
-        -- row groups while preserving the general ascending trend.
-        -- Formula: l_orderkey + (l_orderkey * 7 % 5000) - 2500
-        -- This adds ±2500 jitter, creating ~5K overlap between adjacent 100K-row RGs.
-        COPY (
-            SELECT * FROM src
-            ORDER BY l_orderkey + (l_orderkey * 7 % 5000) - 2500
-        )
-        TO '${OVERLAP_DIR}/overlapping.parquet'
+        COPY (SELECT * FROM src ORDER BY l_orderkey)
+        TO '${TMPFILE}'
         STORED AS PARQUET
         OPTIONS ('format.max_row_group_size' '100000');
     ")
 
-    echo "Sort pushdown Inexact overlap data generated at ${OVERLAP_DIR}"
-    ls -la "${OVERLAP_DIR}"
+    # Step 2: Redistribute into 5 files with scrambled RG order.
+    python3 -c "
+import pyarrow.parquet as pq
+
+pf = pq.ParquetFile('${TMPFILE}')
+n = pf.metadata.num_row_groups
+n_files = 5
+
+file_rgs = [[] for _ in range(n_files)]
+for rg_idx in range(n):
+    slot = (rg_idx * 37 + 13) % n
+    file_id = slot % n_files
+    file_rgs[file_id].append(rg_idx)
+
+for file_id in range(n_files):
+    rgs = file_rgs[file_id]
+    if not rgs:
+        continue
+    tables = [pf.read_row_group(rg) for rg in rgs]
+    writer = pq.ParquetWriter(
+        '${OVERLAP_DIR}/part_%03d.parquet' % file_id,
+        pf.schema_arrow)
+    for t in tables:
+        writer.write_table(t)
+    writer.close()
+    print(f'File part_{file_id:03d}.parquet: {len(rgs)} RGs')
+"
+
+    rm -f "${TMPFILE}"
 }
 
 # Runs the sort pushdown Inexact benchmark (tests RG reorder by statistics).
@@ -1240,7 +1306,7 @@ data_sort_pushdown_inexact() {
 run_sort_pushdown_inexact() {
     INEXACT_DIR="${DATA_DIR}/sort_pushdown_inexact"
     RESULTS_FILE="${RESULTS_DIR}/sort_pushdown_inexact.json"
-    echo "Running sort pushdown Inexact benchmark (--sorted, DESC, reverse scan path)..."
+    echo "Running sort pushdown Inexact benchmark (multi-file scrambled RGs, --sorted DESC)..."
     DATAFUSION_EXECUTION_PARQUET_PUSHDOWN_FILTERS=true \
     debug_run $CARGO_COMMAND --bin dfbench -- sort-pushdown --sorted --iterations 5 --path "${INEXACT_DIR}" --queries-path "${SCRIPT_DIR}/queries/sort_pushdown_inexact" -o "${RESULTS_FILE}" ${QUERY_ARG} ${LATENCY_ARG}
 }
@@ -1256,13 +1322,13 @@ run_sort_pushdown_inexact_unsorted() {
     debug_run $CARGO_COMMAND --bin dfbench -- sort-pushdown --iterations 5 --path "${INEXACT_DIR}" --queries-path "${SCRIPT_DIR}/queries/sort_pushdown_inexact_unsorted" -o "${RESULTS_FILE}" ${QUERY_ARG} ${LATENCY_ARG}
 }
 
-# Runs the sort pushdown benchmark with partially overlapping RGs.
-# Simulates streaming data with network jitter — RGs are mostly in order
-# but have small overlaps (±2500 orderkey jitter between adjacent RGs).
+# Runs the sort pushdown benchmark with multi-file scrambled RG order.
+# Simulates streaming data with network delays — multiple files, each with
+# scrambled RGs. Tests both RG-level reorder and TopK stats initialization.
 run_sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap() {
     OVERLAP_DIR="${DATA_DIR}/sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap"
     RESULTS_FILE="${RESULTS_DIR}/sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap.json"
-    echo "Running sort pushdown Inexact benchmark (overlapping RGs, streaming data pattern)..."
+    echo "Running sort pushdown Inexact benchmark (multi-file scrambled RGs, streaming data pattern)..."
     DATAFUSION_EXECUTION_PARQUET_PUSHDOWN_FILTERS=true \
     debug_run $CARGO_COMMAND --bin dfbench -- sort-pushdown --sorted --iterations 5 --path "${OVERLAP_DIR}" --queries-path "${SCRIPT_DIR}/queries/sort_pushdown_inexact_overlap" -o "${RESULTS_FILE}" ${QUERY_ARG} ${LATENCY_ARG}
 }
diff --git a/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q5.sql b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q5.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..60ad636ad3c9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q5.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+-- Reverse scan: ORDER BY DESC LIMIT (narrow projection)
+-- With --sorted: reverse_row_groups=true + TopK + stats init + cumulative prune
+-- Without --sorted: full TopK sort over all data
+SELECT l_orderkey, l_partkey, l_suppkey
+FROM lineitem
+ORDER BY l_orderkey DESC
+LIMIT 100
diff --git a/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q6.sql b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q6.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..d36a35a1e5a0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q6.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-- Reverse scan: ORDER BY DESC LIMIT larger fetch (narrow projection)
+SELECT l_orderkey, l_partkey, l_suppkey
+FROM lineitem
+ORDER BY l_orderkey DESC
+LIMIT 1000
diff --git a/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q7.sql b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q7.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3e8856822d83d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q7.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-- Reverse scan: wide projection + DESC LIMIT
+SELECT *
+FROM lineitem
+ORDER BY l_orderkey DESC
+LIMIT 100
diff --git a/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q8.sql b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q8.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..95ba89fdd5089
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/queries/sort_pushdown/q8.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-- Reverse scan: wide projection + DESC LIMIT larger fetch
+SELECT *
+FROM lineitem
+ORDER BY l_orderkey DESC
+LIMIT 1000