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 | Span | Matches | Innings | Balls Faced |
---|---|---|---|---|
Babar Azam (PAK) | 2016-2024 | 123 | 116 | 3211 |
Virat Kohli (IND) | 2010-2024 | 125 | 117 | 3056 |
Rohit Sharma (IND) | 2007-2024 | 159 | 151 | 3003 |
Paul Stirling (IRE) | 2009-2024 | 147 | 146 | 2710 |
Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 2015-2024 | 102 | 89 | 2620 |
Martin Guptill (NZ) | 2009-2022 | 122 | 118 | 2602 |
David Warner (AUS) | 2009-2024 | 110 | 110 | 2300 |
Jos Buttler (ENG) | 2011-2024 | 126 | 116 | 2277 |
Aaron Finch (AUS) | 2011-2022 | 103 | 103 | 2189 |
Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 2006-2024 | 129 | 127 | 2105 |
Key Insights
Over 11 batters have faced 2000 or more balls in the T20I format. The number extends to 30 batters who have played 1500+ deliveries.
7 batters have faced 2000+ balls, scoring more than 3000 runs in T20Is, with Virat Kohli being the only batter with 4000+ runs. The other batters are Babar Azam, Rohit Sharma, Martin Guptill, Paul Stirling, Aaron Finch, and David Warner.
Coincidentally, all of them have featured in more than 100 T20I matches for their respective teams, with Rohit being the most capped player. In January 2024, Rohit Sharma became the first male player to play 150 matches in the shortest format.
Aaron Finch consumed the most balls in a T20I innings, scoring 172 runs off 76 balls against Zimbabwe in 2018. However, Finch’s knock is the highest individual score in international 20-over cricket.
Among the batters who have encountered 2000+ balls, Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez, and Kane Williamson have a strike rate of less than 130.