The shortest format of the game demands the batters to be at their striking best. With lesser field time, batters are expected to go big from the very first ball they face. This makes T20 batting a challenging piece of work in which only a few succeed.
Every batsman has their own strength, making them more robust against a particular type of bowler, which in turn makes them strong against a specific bowling unit. For example, a few batsmen are known for their skill against spinning deliveries, and a few are good at using the pace to their advantage.
This article, in detail, will list the top ten batsmen who have scored the most runs against a single opponent team in T20I cricket.
Bonus: Check the same list for ODIs and Tests.
Most Runs against Single Opponent in T20Is
| BATSMAN | OPPONENT | RUNS | INNS | AVE | SR | HS | 100s/50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam (PAK) | New Zealand | 880 | 24 | 41.90 | 131.93 | 101* | 1/8 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | Australia | 794 | 22 | 49.62 | 142.54 | 90* | 0/8 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | West Indies | 693 | 22 | 38.50 | 142.88 | 111* | 1/5 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | New Zealand | 689 | 20 | 43.06 | 126.19 | 98* | 0/5 |
| Jos Buttler (ENG) | West Indies | 680 | 23 | 34.00 | 144.68 | 96 | 0/5 |
| Kane Williamson (NZ) | Pakistan | 667 | 21 | 39.23 | 119.32 | 72* | 0/6 |
| Paul Stirling (IRE) | Afghanistan | 667 | 25 | 26.68 | 137.24 | 91 | 0/4 |
| Mark Chapman (NZ) | Pakistan | 663 | 22 | 41.43 | 161.70 | 104* | 1/4 |
| David Warner (AUS) | West Indies | 662 | 15 | 47.28 | 160.67 | 89* | 0/7 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | England | 660 | 17 | 47.14 | 141.02 | 110* | 1/4 |
Key Insights on T20I Batting Records Against a Single Opponent
Most 500-Plus Run Aggregates Against Different Teams in T20Is
Virat Kohli was the first batter to score 500-plus runs against three different teams in T20Is. Check out Kohli’s country-wise batting stats in T20 here.
Babar Azam and Jos Buttler, meanwhile, have left Kohli behind, aggregating 500-plus runs against four opponents in this format.
Serbia’s Leslie Dunbar became the first associate batter to score 500-plus runs against an opponent, going past the mark against Bulgaria in 2023.
Top Batting Averages and Strike Rates Against a Single T20I Side
Afghanistan’s Najibullah Zadran has the highest average against an opponent in T20Is (minimum 10 innings batted). He scored 230 runs in 10 innings at an average of 76.66 against the UAE.
New Zealand’s Finn Allen boasts the highest strike rate against a T20I team (minimum 500 balls faced). He has scored 510 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 190.29 against Pakistan.
Records for Most Runs and Centuries vs a Team in Bilateral T20I Series
England’s Phil Salt has hammered the most centuries against a T20I team, scoring three against the West Indies.
Two of Salt’s centuries came on the 2023 Caribbean tour, the joint-most by a batter against a team in a bilateral T20I series. India’s Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma also smashed two hundreds each against South Africa in the 2024 series.
Salt’s two centuries helped him aggregate 331 runs against the West Indies in the 2023 series, the most by a batter against a team in a bilateral T20I series.
Elite Performance in T20 World Cups Against One Team
Kohli is the only batter to score 300-plus runs against a team in the T20 World Cup. He aggregated 312 runs across six outings against Pakistan at a mighty average of 156.
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