T20s have become the norm now, with the cricketing boards keen on conducting the shortest format games in every bilateral arrangement to attract the crowd. This has also impacted the number of T20 international contests annually. Since 2019, the number of T20 games conducted per year has gone up double-fold compared to the previous years. With T20 World Cups planned once in two years and the culture of t20 leagues being part of every older cricketing nation, the number of T20I matches is only projected to rise yearly.
Even then, scoring more than 1000 runs in a calendar year is challenging for any batsman, as it needs utmost consistency and scores behind the name throughout the year. Mohammad Rizwan, in 2021, became the first cricketer to score 1000+ runs in T20 internationals within a calendar year, followed by Suryakumar Yadav in the next year.
This article will list the batters who have scored the most runs in a calendar year in T20 Internationals.
Most T20I Runs in a Calendar Year
| PLAYER | RUNS | YEAR | INNINGS | STRIKE RATE | AVERAGE | HIGH SCORE | 50+ SCORES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 1326 | 2021 | 26 | 134.89 | 73.66 | 104* | 13 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (IND) | 1164 | 2022 | 31 | 187.43 | 46.56 | 117 | 11 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 996 | 2022 | 25 | 122.96 | 45.27 | 88* | 10 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 939 | 2021 | 26 | 127.58 | 37.56 | 122 | 10 |
| Muhammad Waseem (UAE) | 863 | 2023 | 23 | 162.52 | 39.22 | 91 | 7 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 781 | 2022 | 20 | 138.23 | 55.78 | 122* | 9 |
| Paul Stirling (IRE) | 748 | 2019 | 20 | 140.60 | 41.55 | 91 | 8 |
| Roger Mukasa (UGA) | 738 | 2023 | 31 | 134.42 | 28.38 | 89 | 2 |
| Sikandar Raza (ZIM) | 735 | 2022 | 23 | 150.92 | 35.00 | 87 | 5 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 735 | 2022 | 26 | 123.32 | 31.95 | 110* | 6 |
Key Stats
While topping the T20I batting chart in 2021, Mohammad Rizwan became the first cricketer to score 10 or more 50+ scores in T20Is inside a calendar year.
Rizwan also tops the batting average on the list. However, Virat Kohli in 2016 was a much better story. The Indian star averaged more than 100 in the 16 innings he played that year (including a brilliant world cup campaign), scoring 641 runs with 7 50+ scores.
If it is consistent for Rizwan, it is the striking rate for Suryakumar, whereas he has maintained a strike rate which is way ahead of others on the list. Also, Suryakumar has the best strike rate for anyone who has scored more than 500 in the year 2022 – a brilliant addition to India’s 2022 World Cup campaign.
It is also important to note that, Suryakumar and Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien are the only two middle-order batters on this list.
Also Read: Most Wickets in ICC Tournaments
