Top 3 batsmen with the most T20I runs in 2019

With the ICC granting T20I status to all its 104 members, the total number of T20I matches played in 2019 was significantly much higher than last year.

Apart from the full members of the ICC, the associates also got to play a lot of T20Is after being granted T20I status. This is the reason why there are some surprising names in the list of the leading run-scorers in T20I cricket in 2019.

Indian captain Virat Kohli is the only batsman from a prominent Test-playing nation who is in the top 10 list of the leading run-scorers in T20I cricket in 2019.

Here are the 3 players with most T20I runs in 2019.

#1 Paul Stirling (Ireland)

Paul Stirling opens the batting for Ireland and is a hard hitter of the cricket ball. Not only has he got the power game, he has also got the ability to pierce the gaps which is why he manages to maximize the powerplay for Ireland more often than not.

Stirling has played 20 T20I matches for Ireland in 2019, scoring 748 runs at a strike rate of 140.60. The 29-year-old has scored eight half-centuries and has hit 20 sixes this year.

Generally, when an opener plays the high-risk game in T20I cricket, it’s tough for him to maintain a good batting average. But apart from maintaining a very high strike rate for Ireland, Stirling also has a terrific batting average of 41.55 in 2019, which speaks volumes of his consistency with the bat.

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Owing to Stirling providing flying starts to Ireland in most of the games, the country finished the year with a win percentage of 70 in the shortest format of the game.

It remains to be seen if he manages to carry his superb batting form into next year.