In a fast-paced format like T20I, being a captain is a tedious job. Every ball in this format is an event in itself, where the match can turn on its head at any moment.
On top of that, we have the T20 World Cup every 2 years, so they also need to perform consistently along with leading the team.
The captains need to set an example by being fearless and scoring as many runs as possible. Their batting performance can turn out to be instrumental in winning matches and big tournaments alike.
Here are the top 10 instances of captains wielding the most runs in a calendar year in T20Is.
Most T20I Runs in a Calendar Year as Captain
| Captain | Innings | Runs | Avg | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 26 | 939 | 37.56 | 2021 |
| Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (JPN) | 20 | 860 | 50.58 | 2024 |
| Nizakat Khan (HKG) | 27 | 784 | 35.63 | 2024 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 26 | 735 | 31.95 | 2022 |
| Muhammad Waseem (UAE) | 20 | 664 | 34.94 | 2023 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 29 | 656 | 24.29 | 2022 |
| Muhammad Waseem (UAE) | 17 | 628 | 41.86 | 2024 |
| Andy Balbirnie (IRE) | 27 | 617 | 23.73 | 2022 |
| Abhik Patwa (TAN) | 19 | 543 | 36.20 | 2022 |
| Austin Lazarus (THA) | 22 | 532 | 29.55 | 2024 |
Key Insights
939: Pakistan’s former captain, Babar Azam, holds the record for scoring the most T20I runs in a calendar year as a captain. Azam had a prolific run in 2021, as he accumulated 939 runs at an average of 37.56, which included 9 fifties and 1 hundred.
2: With that, he became the first skipper to score 500+ runs in a single year. Moreover, he is the only captain to score 500+ runs in consecutive years in T20Is.
40: UAE’s skipper Muhammad Waseem broke Rohit Sharma’s (32) record of smashing the most sixes in a calendar year as a captain. In 2023, Waseem has smashed over 40 sixes and is also leading the sixes chart for this year.
77.66: India’s former skipper, Virat Kohli, has the best batting average among the captains who have batted in 10 innings in a year. Kohli had an impressive average of 77.66 in 2019, as he scored 466 runs in 10 innings.
169: Australia’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Aaron Finch and UAE’s Waseem have the highest strike rate among the captains who have scored 400+ runs in a calendar year. Finch and Waseem scored runs at a strike rate of 169 in 2018 and 2023, respectively.
