In the action-packed T20I format, giving an explosive start is of utmost importance to set the momentum of the innings. Teams that have aggressive and fearless batters in their lineup have a significant advantage in posting huge totals.
Such batters are either hard-hitting openers or top-order pinch-hitters who unleash their wrath in powerplay overs. The field restrictions in the first 6 overs give batters the license to go bonkers from the first ball.
Many batters have accumulated lots of runs by just scoring quickly in the powerplay overs. Here are the top 10 batters with the most overall runs in powerplay over in T20Is.
Most Runs by a Batter in Powerplay in T20I (Overall)
| Player | Innings | Runs in PP | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 128 | 2141 | 133.22 |
| Quinton de Kock (SA) | 89 | 1643 | 143.74 |
| Martin Guptill (NZ) | 95 | 1630 | 125.77 |
| Aaron Finch (AUS) | 94 | 1601 | 136.95 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 111 | 1580 | 117.64 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 91 | 1503 | 137.38 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 82 | 1434 | 117.34 |
| Jos Buttler (ENG) | 66 | 1246 | 147.63 |
| Paul Stirling (IRE) | 74 | 1237 | 134.31 |
| Litton Das (BAN) | 83 | 1236 | 132.90 |
Key Insights
1880: Rohit Sharma is the leading run-scorer in powerplay overs in T20Is. The fiery Indian opener is a master at providing quick starts and has accumulated over 1880 runs.
1000: Over 13 batters have amassed 1000+ runs alone in the first 6 overs in the shortest format, with most of them being openers for their respective teams.
148: England’s keeper batter, Jos Buttler, scores runs at an astounding strike rate of close to 148 (147.97) in powerplay. Buttler’s batting strike rate is the highest among the batters with 1000+ runs in the stated phase.
59: Another keeper-batter from Pakistan, Mohammad Rizwan, averages around 59 with the bat in the first 6 overs. However, he strikes at approximately 117, which is somewhat below par according to T20I standards. (Check out the openers with the highest strike rate in T20Is here.)
80: Rohit Sharma, who is the leading six-hitter in the shortest format, has smashed 80+ sixes alone in the powerplay overs. This is the most overall sixes hit by a batter in the initial 6 overs.
