5 all-time highest run scorers in men’s T20 World Cups ft. Virat Kohli
The T20 World Cup 2024 is all set to begin on June 1 and will be played in the USA and West Indies until June 29. The tournament features 20 teams, which are divided into four groups. Meanwhile, the very first match will see the United States facing Canada.
This will be the ninth edition of the tournament. It started in 2007 when India defeated Pakistan in the final to win the first title. The West Indies and England are the most successful teams, having won the championship two times each.
When we hear T20 cricket, the first thing that comes to mind is quick innings, big sixes, and intense matches. T20 cricket is all about batters, showcasing their power in the shortest format. Fans have seen amazing players showing their skills and consistently scoring for their nation.
With the tournament set to start tomorrow, in this article, we will look at the five all-time highest run scorers in the men's T20 World Cup.
#5 Tillakaratne Dilshan
The attacking former Sri Lankan opener, Tillakaratne Dilshan, is fifth on the list. The right-handed batter, who retired from international cricket in 2016, has scored 897 runs in 34 innings in the T20 World Cup with a strike of 124; he also hit 101 fours.
Dilshan’s highest score in the T20 World Cup is 96, which came against the West Indies in 2009. He was also on the team that won the championship in 2014 after losing the final twice in 2009 and 2012.
#4 Rohit Sharma
The Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, is fourth on the list of all-time highest run scorers in the men's T20 World Cup. This will be his ninth T20 World Cup, as he has featured in every single edition. He played some crucial knocks in the 2007 edition, which India won.
Even though the Indian opener hasn’t performed quite well in the last three editions, he’s still an important player for the Indian set-up. Talking about his T20 World Cup numbers, Rohit has scored 963 in 36 innings at an average of 34.3. Rohit Sharma will also have a huge task in taking India to their second title.
#3 Chris Gayle
The Universe boss and two-time T20 World Cup winner, Chris Gayle, is third. Arguably, one of the most dangerous T20 batters, Gayle, has a good record when it comes to the World Cup. The left-handed batter played a crucial role in helping the West Indies win the 2012 and 2016 tournaments.
Gayle has scored 965 in 31 innings with a strike rate of 142.7. He also has two centuries to his name and has the record for hitting most sixes in the T20 World Cup (63).
#2 Mahela Jayawardene
The former Sri Lankan captain remains the first batter for the country to score a century in a T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka lost in the final of the 2012 edition under his captaincy; however, he won the tournament as a player in 2014.
Jayawardene scored 1016 in 31 innings at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 134.7. He has one century, which he scored against Zimbabwe in the 2010 edition, and six half-centuries to his name, and he was an integral part in the success of Sri Lankan cricket.
#1 Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is the only player to win consecutive Player of the Tournament awards in T20 World Cups, and the innings he played against Pakistan in the 2022 edition must be fresh in everyone’s mind.
With 1141 runs scored in just 25 innings, the Indian player is at the top of the charts. He has an average of 81.5 in T20 World Cups and has scored at a strike rate of 131.3. Virat will want to win the T20 World Cup for the first time, possibly in what could be his last tournament.