Top 5 Batsmen with Most career runs in T20 International

First T20 international match was played between New Zealand and Australia in 2005 and the world of cricket was introduced to a new and more adrenaline filled format in which fans and spectators could see lots of sixes and fours in space of 3 and half hours.

This format was accepted with enthusiasm and now has morphed into something very big. It also provided us tremendous amount of innovation in terms of cricket shots and some players made this format their home. Here are the Top 5 batsmen with most career runs in T20 internationals:

5. JP Duminy (South Africa 2007-2015) - 1430 runs

Matches: 61 Innings: 56 High Score: 96* Average: 35.75 Strike Rate: 121.80 100’s: 0 50s: 7 6s: 44

Jean Paul Duminy is probably the second best T20 batsman from South Africa after AB de Villiers. His ability to control strike at the end and then hit the big sixes only provides the cushion to the South African batting. He has made 1430 runs and is at no.5 in the list of most career runs in t20 international.

Add his brilliant fielding and bowling to the mix and you have complete T20 cricketer. He has also led South Africa in T20 internationals and can provide leadership advice to young players.

4. David Warner (Australia 2009-2014)- 1444 runs

Matches: 52 Innings: 52 High Score: 90* Average: 29.46 Strike Rate: 138.84 100s: 0 50s: 11 6s: 66

Australia’s David Warner was selected for the T20 international debut in 2009 without even playing any first class level cricket. Today he lies in the 4^th place in the list of top 5 batsmen with most t20 runs in his career.

He has played 52 T20 internationals and scored 1444 runs with the highest score of 90. One of the most devastating openers in the world today, he can turn the game in the first 6 overs on his day and if he goes on, he assures a big score not only for himself but also for the team.

3. Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka 2006-2014)- 1466 runs

Matches: 62 Innings: 61 High Score: 104* Average: 28.74 Strike Rate: 119.57 100s: 1 50s: 9 6s: 27

The Sri Lankan veteran Tillakaratne Dilshan stands at no.3 in top 5 players with most runs in T20 games. He has scored 1466 runs and is still going strong for his team.

Dilshan is perfectly adaptable to the T20 format due to his innovative shots, especially the DilScoop- the overhead shot, which goes over the head of the wicketkeeper. He is also at his attacking best on the top of the order, where he gets to play with the freedom he likes.

2.Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka 2006-2014)- 1493 runs

Matches: 55, Inn: 55, HS: 100, Avg: 31.76, SR: 133.18, 100’s:1, 50’s: 9, 6’s: 33

Now retired and former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene is the second man on the list of top 5 batsmen having most runs in T20 matches. A technically perfect batsman, Jayawardene proved that to succeed in the shortest format, you can play a technically perfect game instead of hitting big shots every time.

Jayawardene made 1493 runs with the highest score of 100 and an average of 31.76 in 55 matches. His silky wrists and genius like manipulation of fields using the angles made him a dangerous batsman in T20s. He retired from the T20 international arena after winning the World T20 in 2014 and from all formats after the 2015 ICC World Cup.

1.Brendon McCullum (New Zealand 2005-2015) – 2140 runs

Matches: 71, Inn: 70, HS: 123, Avg: 35.66, SR: 136.21, 100’s: 2, 50’s: 13, 6’s: 91

The Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum leads the T20 internationals in the list of top 5 batsmen with most runs scored in t20 career. He has a total of 2140 runs in 71 matches. He also has hit 2 T20I centuries with 91 sixes to his name.

His game plan of going out there and start hitting from ball one works mostly, making him the most dangerous batsman in T20 arena along with Chris Gayle. He attacks and attacks until he makes runs or the opposition gets him out. But whatever he does, he succeeds in giving his team more than a flying start.

(All stats updated till 18^th July 2015)