The fast-paced T20I format requires a batter to score maximum runs by consuming fewer balls. The value of each ball in the shortest format is paramount, as a single dot ball can tilt the momentum of the match.
Thus, batters use an attacking approach to accumulate as many runs as possible off every delivery they face. But this technique also comes with the risk of batters losing their wickets early on.
However, a few batters have found a perfect balance between scoring runs at a considerable strike rate while facing a significant chunk of balls.
This article delves into the top 10 batters who have faced the most balls in T20I cricket.
Most Balls Faced by a Batter in T20Is
| Player | Innings | Balls Faced | Run Scored | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 124 | 3335 | 4302 | 128.99 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 117 | 3056 | 4188 | 137.04 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 151 | 3003 | 4231 | 140.89 |
| Paul Stirling (IRE) | 150 | 2751 | 3710 | 134.86 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 93 | 2723 | 3414 | 125.37 |
| Martin Guptill (NZ) | 118 | 2602 | 3531 | 135.70 |
| Jos Buttler (ENG) | 132 | 2597 | 3869 | 148.97 |
| Virandeep Singh (MAS) | 100 | 2423 | 3083 | 127.23 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 110 | 2300 | 3277 | 142.47 |
| Aaron Finch (AUS) | 103 | 2189 | 3120 | 142.53 |
Key Insights on Most Deliveries Faced by a Batter in T20Is
Milestone Records by Balls Faced in T20Is
Pakistan’s Babar Azam became the first batter to face 3000 balls in T20I cricket.
Babar is the only batter to consume more than 2000 balls while playing as a captain in T20Is.
Ireland’s Paul Stirling and India’s Rohit Sharma are the two openers to play more than 2600 deliveries in T20Is. Overall, seven openers have faced 2000 or more deliveries in the shortest format.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan has faced the most balls in a calendar year in T20Is. He played 983 deliveries to aggregate 1326 runs in 2021, the second most runs in a year in T20Is.
Home vs. Overseas Balls Faced Comparison in T20Is
Nine batters have faced 1000 or more balls in home conditions in T20Is.
The number goes above 60 when it comes to batters playing 1000-plus deliveries in overseas conditions.
T20I Innings Records by Balls Consumed
Stirling has consumed the most balls to score a T20I century. He needed 70 deliveries to reach the 100-run mark against Zimbabwe in 2021, making it the slowest century in T20Is.
Overall, Aaron Finch has consumed the most balls in a T20I innings. He faced 76 balls while scoring 172 runs against Zimbabwe in 2018. Finch’s knock is also the highest individual score in T20I cricket.
Slowest Strikers in T20Is
Rwanda’s Didier Ndikubwimana and Oscar Manishimwe are the two batters with their strike rates below 100 among batters who’ve faced at least 1000 balls in T20Is.
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