Over the years T20 cricket has captured the imagination of players and fans, growing into a compelling and spectacular act for everyone to behold. Packed with high-intensity action and very nervous moments, the shortest format of cricket has everyone at the edge of their seats. While it's advertised as a brilliant contest between bat and bowl, every advent fan would agree with the format's inclination favoring the batsmen more, as there is very little room for error for the bowlers.
With batting playing a vital role in the format, a few batsmen have found their niche in T20 cricket and have excelled more than others. While some of the prominent names to make waves in this game stand to be Babar Azam, Martin Guptil, Dawid Malan, etc. Today we are going to take a look at the Top 5 highest run-getter in this format of the game.
1) Chris Gayle
The physically imposing West Indian batsman can be a daunting task for any bowler standing 22 yards across him. Playing over 424 T20 matches in Internationals and franchises around the world, the T20 world cup winner has scored 13898 runs at an average of 37.86 with a staggering strike rate of 146.41. His 175* playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore is still the highest individual T20 score upto date. Smoking over a thousand boundaries and maximums each, the destructive nature of the batsmen is the stuff of legends.
2) Kieron Pollard
The Caribbean all-rounder has been an integral part of the title-winning T20 sides around the globe. With a never-say-die attitude, the T20 world winner has played over 541 matches which stands for the most matches played by any player in this format. Scoring over 10797 runs with an astonishing strike rate of 152.91, the West Indian all-rounders is one the best pinch hitters in the world with the ability to turn the game on its head single-handedly. Also pitching in with his bowling efforts, claiming over 296 wickets, Kieron Pollard is a valuable asset to any team he goes to.
3) Shoaib Malik
The Pakistani veteran batsman added to his list of honors when he became the first Asian to hit 10K runs in T20 cricket. He achieved this feat during his innings of 74 runs off 44 balls for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against Balochistan in the National T20 Cup in Rawalpindi. Playing over 417 T20 matches overall, the right-handed batsman has scored over 10488 runs at an average of 37.06 with a healthy strike rate of 125.99. But a century in this format is something that alluded the successful batsman in this format though owning 64 half-centuries to his name.
4) David Warner
The fiery Australian opener takes on the new ball with aggression and determination and is the stuff of nightmares for bowlers and often leaving them completely spent. Warner makes sure that no bowler can gain an upper hand giving them no chance to settle. Playing over 304 matches, he has scored over 10017 runs at a destructive strike rate of 140.80. Claiming over 8 centuries and 82 half-centuries, his ease in producing consistent performances has made him one of the most feared batsmen around the world. As an inspirational leader and batsmen, he continues to make his mark in teams around the world.
5) Virat Kohli
The world-renown batsman doesn't fall short in any category even making his mark in the shortest format of the game. Playing over 311 matches up to date, he has scored over 9929 runs with just 71 runs separating him from the exclusive 10K club. When T20 cricket is taken into consideration, a batsmen’s effectiveness is defined by how many 30’s he made. So it defies all belief when the Indian skipper's T20 average stands at 41.71 which is the highest average among batsmen with more than 5200 runs in their career. Virat Kohli is a classic example of not having to slog every ball to be a success in this format.
Even though the odds and playing conditions do favor the batsmen, not all batsmen have found success in this format. With the game still in its evolving stages, new techniques and playing styles will rise due to the demand in high-pressure situations which can make a telling difference in the game. Let u know what are your thoughts on the best batsman in the T20 format and which batsman on the list has impressed you the most.
Cover Credits: CricketCountry
*All stats are as of May 5th, 2021