Attaining a milestone in terms of runs, like reach 500 runs in the T20 World Cup, displays a batter’s ability to dominate the proceedings over a sustained period of time. Today, we’ll take a look at the 5 batters fastest to reach 500 runs in T20 World Cup with respect to innings played.
One of the most entertaining international cricket competitions, the T20 World Cup draws large audiences from cricket fans all around the world. Every two years, the T20 World Cup is played, with the inaugural tournament taking place in 2007.
Batters have mostly ruled the roost in T20 World Cups, as the format is more batting-friendly to them when compared to the bowlers. Batters’ brilliance in the T20 World Cup is really dependent on how consistently they score runs.
11 innings – Virat Kohli (India)
Virat Kohli of India is the leading run-getter in the T20 World Cup tournament. He scored 1292 runs in just 33 innings in 35 matches at an average of 58.72 and a strike rate of 128.81. He hit 15 fifties and a best score of 89*. He won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and was the Player of the Tournament in the 2014 and 2016 editions.
Kohli is also the fastest to reach 500-run mark in the T20 World Cup, a feat he achieved in only 11 innings with the bat. Kohli had made his T20 World Cup debut in 2012 and played in the 2016, 2021, 2022, and 2024 editions of the tournament.
13 innings – Chris Gayle (West Indies)
West Indies’ Chris Gayle comes in at the second spot in the list of fastest batters to the 500-run mark in the T20 World Cup. Gayle, who made his T20 World Cup debut in 2007, reach 500-run mark in the T20 World Cup in 13 innings.
Gayle was the first batter to score a century in the T20 World Cup, a feat he achieved in the 2007 edition, and the first to score two centuries in the tournament, when he made a ton against England in the 2016 edition. Overall, Gayle made 965 runs in 33 matches, with a strike rate of 142.75 and a best score of 117. He hit two centuries and 7 fifties in the T20 World Cups.
14 innings – Kevin Pietersen (England)
England’s 2010 T20 World Cup batter Kevin Pietersen is third in the list, having reached the coveted 500-run mark in T20 World Cups in only 14 innings. Pietersen played a huge role in England’s first ICC tournament win and was the Player of the Tournament as well. Pietersen was part of three T20 World Cup tournaments and made 580 runs in 15 games, with a strike rate of 148.33, and hit four fifties, including the best score of 79.
15 innings – Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka)
Mahela Jayawardene, former Sri Lanka batter and captain, comes in at no. 4 in this list of fastest to 500 runs in the T20 World Cup. Jayawardene reach 500-run mark in 15 innings in the T20 World Cups. He was part of the 2014 T20 World Cup-winning Sri Lanka team and retired from the format after the tournament.
Overall, Jayawardene made 1016 runs in 31 matches with a strike rate of 134.74, with one century and 6 fifties, with the highest score of 100. Jayawardene was the cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s batting from 2007 to 2014 in T20 World Cups, which included a runners-up finish in the 2009 edition.
16 innings – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan is fifth on the list of the top 5 batsmen fastest to 500 runs in the T20 World Cup. The Pakistani keeper-opener reach 500-run milestone in 16 innings in the T20 World Cup. Rizwan has made 566 runs in 17 matches in the T20 World Cup, with a strike rate of 112.97, and hit 5 fifties and a highest score of 79*.
Rizwan helped Pakistan reach the semi-final of the 2021 T20 World Cup and the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup. He was also part of the Pakistan team that recorded their historic first-ever win over arch-rivals India in the World Cup tournaments, when they won the 2021 T20 World Cup encounter by 10 wickets.
FAQs
Q1. Which batter has scored most runs in T20 World Cup?
Ans: India’s Virat Kohli holds the record for most runs- 1292 in T20 World Cups.
Q2. Which batter holds the record for being the fastest to 500 runs in T20 World Cups?
Ans: India’s Virat Kohli reach 500-run mark in the T20 World Cup the fastest, in only 11 innings.
