The advent of T20 cricket has been highly entertaining for ardent cricket fans. Who wouldn&#8217;t want to watch a brilliant contest between bat and ball? While the format is naturally inclined in favour of the batsmen owing to the shorter boundaries and bigger bats, bowlers have not been afraid to take on the challenge.

Some of the major T20 leagues include the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IPL</a>, Big Bash League, England&#8217;s T20 Blast, CPL, BPL and PSL. Cricket fans have been blessed to see some competitive franchise cricket, even in a pandemic-stricken year.

Even though the odds are in favour of the batsmen, there are very few batsmen who are able to make a mark in franchise cricket. There is the added pressure of a price tag and the tournaments tend to be highly intense in nature. Besides, one has to maintain consistency plus score runs at a decent rate to be considered as a threat to the opposition.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-450201" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kieron-Pollard-2.jpg" alt="Kieron Pollard" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450201" class="wp-caption-text">Kieron Pollard. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Caribbean all-rounder Kieron Pollard finds a place in this list at 10th place. This year, he has been an integral part of title-winning Trinbago Knight Riders (CPL) and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mumbai Indians</a> (IPL). He captained TKR to victory, winning all the games. He also led Mumbai in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Pollard has scored 475 runs in 19 T20 matches this year at a fiery strike-rate of 197.10, which is the highest for anyone with more than 400 runs.

He also won the Super Striker of IPL 2020 for having the highest strike rate in the tournament. His best performance of the year came against RCB, when he smoked a 24-ball 60 chasing 202, taking the match to the Super Over after it was all but over for the defending champions. His other notable performance was 72 off 28 balls in the CPL.

Pollard’s never-say-die attitude has been a pivotal reason for Mumbai’s success in the IPL over the years. The belief that even 90 runs can be scored off the final 5 overs in a 200+ chase shows the alpha mindset of Kieron Pollard, which has made him so successful in the shortest format across the globe in T20 tournaments.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456290" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-2.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456290" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

South Africa captain Quinton de Kock is one of the best white-ball openers currently. Ranked 13th on the ICC T20I batsmen&#8217;s rankings, De Kock has played a crucial role in Mumbai Indians winning two successful IPL titles in 2019 and 2020 with his explosive batting at the top of the order. He had represented Lions, Cape Town Blitz, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore before joining Mumbai in 2019.

De Kock has played the Mzansi Super League and IPL in the 2019/20 T20 season. Playing for Cape Town Blitz, he scored 235 runs in 9 innings at an average of 26 and a belligerent strike-rate of 164. His best performances in MSL were 40(19) and 39(18), making apt use of the Powerplay consistently and not fearing losing his wicket.

The same attitude has made him sit among the top run-scorers for Mumbai in the last two seasons, amassing more than 500 runs both times. He dazzled KKR with a scintillating 78* this season, making sure that MI continues to have the upper hand in the rivalry. De Kock has been able to play his natural game in Mumbai Indians, as he knows that there are many T20 specialists to follow even if loses his wicket early.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-383435" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Suryakumar-Yadav.jpg" alt="Suryakumar Yadav" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-383435" class="wp-caption-text">Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Right-handed top-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav has been among the finds of the Indian Premier League. Having played for Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians in his career, he has garnered immense appreciation from former cricketers for his sheer consistency as a batsman in the last three years. He played a vital role in Mumbai’s 5th title win in the IPL this season.

Yadav scored 480 runs in 15 innings at an average of 40 and a strike-rate of 145. He notched 4 scores in excess of 50, and was not afraid to play his natural game, batting at number 3. He played proper cricketing shots and took the attack to the bowlers even in the middle overs. One of his most impressive knocks came against Royal Challengers Bangalore, when he took them home with a brilliant 70* after it became a little tough with wickets in the middle overs.

Surya is a team man. He readily sacrificed his wicket for captain Rohit Sharma in the IPL final, saying that I could make this sacrifice anytime for my captain. He is a gun fielder, who is very energetic on the field. After he was yet again ignored for the Australia T20Is, cricket fans expressed their disappointment. However, it won’t be long before he gets a much-deserved chance to represent the country in white-ball cricket.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459634" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-5.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459634" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

There is only one word that comes to mind when you talk about David Warner in franchise cricket- consistency. Having scored 500+ runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad every season since he joined, he is certainly among the all-time best batsmen in the Indian Premier League.

With a title win in 2016, and playoffs in all the following seasons, he is also the most successful overseas captain in the league. Before becoming the face of SRH, he was a part of Delhi Capitals. In the Big Bash League, he has played for Sydney Thunder. Ranked 17th on the ICC T20I rankings, Warner is certainly one of the most formidable batsmen of the modern era across all formats.

He scored 548 runs in 16 innings in IPL 2020, in what seemed a mediocre season for the Aussie southpaw. This goes to show the amount of impact he has in a relatively weak batting lineup of Sunrisers Hyderabad. His best performance came in a must-win game against Mumbai Indians in the last match of the league stage- 85* off 58 balls.

Warner can play the anchor role to perfection, and switch gears whenever needed. He stepped up for the team in multiple crunch games. An inspirational leader and batsman, he continues to mark his presence every season in the most esteemed franchise league. Due to national team commitments during the Australian summer, he is not a regular in the Big Bash League.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457561" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shikhar-Dhawan-3.jpg" alt="Shikhar Dhawan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457561" class="wp-caption-text">Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Indian southpaw Shikhar Dhawan has rejuvenated himself in franchise cricket in the last couple of years. After a lot of criticism for stemming the flow of runs batting at the top of the order, he freed himself up ever since he joined Delhi Capitals. Before DC, he has played a lot of franchise cricket for Sunrisers Hyderabad- opening the batting with the &#8216;Pocket-Dynamo&#8217; David Warner. In his initial years, he also played for Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in the IPL.

Dhawan is among the only 3 batsmen to have scored more than 450 runs in the last 3 seasons of the Indian Premier League, with KL Rahul and Virat Kohli being the other 2. He was 2nd in the race for the Orange Cap, scoring 618 runs in 17 innings at a healthy strike-rate of 144.7. He became the first batsman in the history of IPL to score two consecutive 100s, which also happened to be his first two hundreds in this format.

Dhawan was among the most impactful Indian batsmen of IPL 2020. While most other big names like Kohli and Iyer struggled to score runs at a quick-rate, he did not shy away from displaying his natural, aggressive intent. He made ample use of the Powerplay, taking the attack to the bowlers. He didn&#8217;t get enough support from Delhi&#8217;s top order, with Shaw and Pant also out of form. His knock of 78 in the second qualifier has to be one of his most crucial knocks of the season, as it helped Delhi set up a good score on the board and consequently defending it to make it to the Final for the first time in history.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-447348" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Marcus-Stoinis.jpg" alt="Marcus Stoinis" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-447348" class="wp-caption-text">Marcus Stoinis. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has made the cricketing world notice his potential in this format of the sport. Stoinis is one of the most versatile batsmen in T20 cricket presently. He has played for Kent in English T20 Blast, Melbourne Stars in BBL, and KXIP, RCB, and DC in IPL.

As of 18th November 2020, Stoinis is the 2nd highest run-scorer in franchise cricket this year, only behind Alex Hales. He has amassed 902 runs in 30 innings at a strike-rate of 143.2 and an average of 37.6. He batted as an opener for Melbourne Stars, scoring 705 runs in 17 innings. The highlight of that season was his knock of 147 against Sydney Sixers, registering the highest individual score ever in the history of the competition. He played the finisher role at Delhi Capitals, scoring more than 350 runs in the season.

If Stoinis happens to be a part of the auction pool, he is certainly going to have a lot of demand. He can bat anywhere where the team wants him to, besides chipping in with a few handy overs with the ball. This makes him not just one of the most valuable batsmen, but also one of the most valuable players going around in franchise cricket. He would be looking forward to taking Melbourne Stars to their first title win in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/bbl-big-bash-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Big Bash League</a>, after having a good run with the Delhi Capitals as they reached the finals.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459527" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chris-Gayle-4.jpg" alt="Chris Gayle" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459527" class="wp-caption-text">Chris Gayle. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

West Indies top-order batsman Chris Gayle has been one of the most successful openers in franchise cricket in the past 14 years. After his T20 debut in 2006, Gayle has scored 13584 runs in 403 innings at an average of 38.26 and a strike-rate of 146.72. He has played most his franchise cricket in IPL, CPL, Big Bash and T20 Blast.

There&#8217;s no T20 XI complete without Gayle&#8217;s inclusion. Such is the craze of the Universe Boss in the shortest format of the game. Recently, he smacked 1000 sixes in T20 cricket, which equals 6000 runs only from sixes! That&#8217;s a crazy stat if you are a fan of the T20 cricket format.

With reports suggesting that there might be a mega auction ahead of IPL 2021, Gayle would certainly be looking to get more amount than what he&#8217;s getting right now at KXIP. His consistency and explosive batting over the past decade make a strong case for teams that might be interested in looking for an overseas opener. If a mega auction happens, KXIP will most likely release him and try to get him back via RTM.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456562" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/AB-de-Villiers-celebration.jpg" alt="AB de Villiers celebration" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456562" class="wp-caption-text">AB de Villiers. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

“Game set, and match for Abraham Benjamin de Villiers”- Ian Bishop. De Villiers has been one of the best batsmen of the modern era across all formats. After retiring from international cricket in 2018, AB has plied his trade in T20 Leagues across the world. While he has played for many franchises, his first priority remains Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. He also represented Brisbane Heat in 6 games in BBL.

De Villiers has scored 600 runs this year in t20 cricket in 20 innings at a highly explosive strike-rate of 153.8. He started the year playing for Brisbane Heat, scoring 140 odd runs in the 6 innings, which wasn&#8217;t impressive enough by his standards. However, he came to form in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Indian Premier League</a>, winning RCB 3-4 games singlehandedly with the bat.

His best performance came against Rajasthan Royals while chasing 179, as he massacred Unadkat and Archer to score 55 off just 22 balls, taking RCB home in a nail-biting run chase. He was, by far, RCB&#8217;s most impactful batsman of the season and the only one to have a strike-rate of more than 150.

Even though he is 36, De Villiers continues to amaze cricket fans across the globe. He even donned the gloves for RCB, which was a huge help for the inexperienced bowlers behind the stumps. More importantly, it paved way for another foreign player in the playing XI, ensuring that the Bangalore franchise was a lot more balanced compared to the previous three seasons.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-465985" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Babar-Azam-PSL.jpg" alt="Babar Azam PSL" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-465985" class="wp-caption-text">Babar Azam PSL. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Currently Pakistan’s best batsman across formats, Azam is ranked 2nd on the ICC T20I batsmen&#8217;s rankings. He has played franchise cricket for Karachi Kings &amp; Islamabad United (PSL), Guyana Amazon Warriors (CPL), Somerset (English T20 Blast), and Sylhet Sixers (BPL). With 2504 runs in 73 innings at an average of 37.9 and a strike-rate of 124.1, he has established himself as one of the most consistent batsmen in this form of the game.

His latest accolades came as part of Karachi Kings in PSL, as they won their first PSL title. Babar was adjudged the Player of the Match in the final as well as Player of the Tournament for his exceptional performances with the bat throughout the course of the season. He also accumulated runs in the English T20 Blast playing for Somerset, scoring 218 runs in 7 innings at a healthy strike-rate of 138. His best t20 performance of the year came against Glamorgan- 114 off 62 balls.

The most remarkable thing about him this year was his ability to perform in the big matches. He scored 65 vs Multan in Qualifier-1 and 63* vs Lahore in the PSL finals, bagging the Player of the Match award in both the crunch games. Both the knocks came in pressure conditions in tricky chases, where the pitch was extremely slow.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457029" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-4.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457029" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

One of cricket’s most formidable batsmen in the shortest format in the last three years, KL Rahul tops the list of the top 10 current best batsmen in franchise cricket. Ranked 4th on the ICC T20I batsmen&#8217;s rankings, Rahul has only played franchise cricket in the Indian Premier League, where he has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Kings XI Punjab.

KL was the Orange Cap Holder of IPL 2020, with 670 runs in 14 innings at an average of 55.83 and a strike-rate of 129.34, with one 100 and five 50s to his name. This was also his first season as captain of KXIP, as they finished at 6th place with 6 wins in the league stage. His best performance in IPL came this year against his ex-franchise RCB, with a scintillating 132* off just 69 balls.

Rahul has the capability to play the anchor role at the top of the order and attack from the word go. While the intent seemed lacking this season due to the added pressure of captaincy, he did not fail to maintain his consistency with the bat. He is an asset for any T20 side and is expected to be retained by Kings XI if the Mega Auctions occur before IPL 2021.

Babar Azam, AB de Villiers and Kieron Pollard

The advent of T20 cricket has been highly entertaining for ardent cricket fans. Who wouldn&#8217;t want to watch a brilliant contest between bat and ball? While the format is naturally inclined in favour of the batsmen owing to the shorter boundaries and bigger bats, bowlers have not been afraid to take on the challenge.
Some of the major T20 leagues include the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IPL</a>, Big Bash League, England&#8217;s T20 Blast, CPL, BPL and PSL. Cricket fans have been blessed to see some competitive franchise cricket, even in a pandemic-stricken year.
Even though the odds are in favour of the batsmen, there are very few batsmen who are able to make a mark in franchise cricket. There is the added pressure of a price tag and the tournaments tend to be highly intense in nature. Besides, one has to maintain consistency plus score runs at a decent rate to be considered as a threat to the opposition.
<h3>10. Kieron Pollard</h3>
<figure id="attachment_450201" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450201" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-450201" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kieron-Pollard-2.jpg" alt="Kieron Pollard" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450201" class="wp-caption-text">Kieron Pollard. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Caribbean all-rounder Kieron Pollard finds a place in this list at 10th place. This year, he has been an integral part of title-winning Trinbago Knight Riders (CPL) and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mumbai Indians</a> (IPL). He captained TKR to victory, winning all the games. He also led Mumbai in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Pollard has scored 475 runs in 19 T20 matches this year at a fiery strike-rate of 197.10, which is the highest for anyone with more than 400 runs.
He also won the Super Striker of IPL 2020 for having the highest strike rate in the tournament. His best performance of the year came against RCB, when he smoked a 24-ball 60 chasing 202, taking the match to the Super Over after it was all but over for the defending champions. His other notable performance was 72 off 28 balls in the CPL.
Pollard’s never-say-die attitude has been a pivotal reason for Mumbai’s success in the IPL over the years. The belief that even 90 runs can be scored off the final 5 overs in a 200+ chase shows the alpha mindset of Kieron Pollard, which has made him so successful in the shortest format across the globe in T20 tournaments.
<h3>9. Quinton de Kock</h3>
<figure id="attachment_456290" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456290" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456290" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Quinton-de-Kock-2.jpg" alt="Quinton de Kock" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456290" class="wp-caption-text">Quinton de Kock. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
South Africa captain Quinton de Kock is one of the best white-ball openers currently. Ranked 13th on the ICC T20I batsmen&#8217;s rankings, De Kock has played a crucial role in Mumbai Indians winning two successful IPL titles in 2019 and 2020 with his explosive batting at the top of the order. He had represented Lions, Cape Town Blitz, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore before joining Mumbai in 2019.
De Kock has played the Mzansi Super League and IPL in the 2019/20 T20 season. Playing for Cape Town Blitz, he scored 235 runs in 9 innings at an average of 26 and a belligerent strike-rate of 164. His best performances in MSL were 40(19) and 39(18), making apt use of the Powerplay consistently and not fearing losing his wicket.
The same attitude has made him sit among the top run-scorers for Mumbai in the last two seasons, amassing more than 500 runs both times. He dazzled KKR with a scintillating 78* this season, making sure that MI continues to have the upper hand in the rivalry. De Kock has been able to play his natural game in Mumbai Indians, as he knows that there are many T20 specialists to follow even if loses his wicket early.
<h3>8. Suryakumar Yadav</h3>
<figure id="attachment_383435" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-383435" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-383435" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Suryakumar-Yadav.jpg" alt="Suryakumar Yadav" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-383435" class="wp-caption-text">Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Right-handed top-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav has been among the finds of the Indian Premier League. Having played for Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians in his career, he has garnered immense appreciation from former cricketers for his sheer consistency as a batsman in the last three years. He played a vital role in Mumbai’s 5th title win in the IPL this season.
Yadav scored 480 runs in 15 innings at an average of 40 and a strike-rate of 145. He notched 4 scores in excess of 50, and was not afraid to play his natural game, batting at number 3. He played proper cricketing shots and took the attack to the bowlers even in the middle overs. One of his most impressive knocks came against Royal Challengers Bangalore, when he took them home with a brilliant 70* after it became a little tough with wickets in the middle overs.
Surya is a team man. He readily sacrificed his wicket for captain Rohit Sharma in the IPL final, saying that I could make this sacrifice anytime for my captain. He is a gun fielder, who is very energetic on the field. After he was yet again ignored for the Australia T20Is, cricket fans expressed their disappointment. However, it won’t be long before he gets a much-deserved chance to represent the country in white-ball cricket.
<h3>7. David Warner</h3>
<figure id="attachment_459634" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459634" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459634" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-5.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459634" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
There is only one word that comes to mind when you talk about David Warner in franchise cricket- consistency. Having scored 500+ runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad every season since he joined, he is certainly among the all-time best batsmen in the Indian Premier League.
With a title win in 2016, and playoffs in all the following seasons, he is also the most successful overseas captain in the league. Before becoming the face of SRH, he was a part of Delhi Capitals. In the Big Bash League, he has played for Sydney Thunder. Ranked 17th on the ICC T20I rankings, Warner is certainly one of the most formidable batsmen of the modern era across all formats.
He scored 548 runs in 16 innings in IPL 2020, in what seemed a mediocre season for the Aussie southpaw. This goes to show the amount of impact he has in a relatively weak batting lineup of Sunrisers Hyderabad. His best performance came in a must-win game against Mumbai Indians in the last match of the league stage- 85* off 58 balls.
Warner can play the anchor role to perfection, and switch gears whenever needed. He stepped up for the team in multiple crunch games. An inspirational leader and batsman, he continues to mark his presence every season in the most esteemed franchise league. Due to national team commitments during the Australian summer, he is not a regular in the Big Bash League.
<h3>6. Shikhar Dhawan</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457561" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457561" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457561" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shikhar-Dhawan-3.jpg" alt="Shikhar Dhawan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457561" class="wp-caption-text">Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Indian southpaw Shikhar Dhawan has rejuvenated himself in franchise cricket in the last couple of years. After a lot of criticism for stemming the flow of runs batting at the top of the order, he freed himself up ever since he joined Delhi Capitals. Before DC, he has played a lot of franchise cricket for Sunrisers Hyderabad- opening the batting with the &#8216;Pocket-Dynamo&#8217; David Warner. In his initial years, he also played for Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in the IPL.
Dhawan is among the only 3 batsmen to have scored more than 450 runs in the last 3 seasons of the Indian Premier League, with KL Rahul and Virat Kohli being the other 2. He was 2nd in the race for the Orange Cap, scoring 618 runs in 17 innings at a healthy strike-rate of 144.7. He became the first batsman in the history of IPL to score two consecutive 100s, which also happened to be his first two hundreds in this format.
Dhawan was among the most impactful Indian batsmen of IPL 2020. While most other big names like Kohli and Iyer struggled to score runs at a quick-rate, he did not shy away from displaying his natural, aggressive intent. He made ample use of the Powerplay, taking the attack to the bowlers. He didn&#8217;t get enough support from Delhi&#8217;s top order, with Shaw and Pant also out of form. His knock of 78 in the second qualifier has to be one of his most crucial knocks of the season, as it helped Delhi set up a good score on the board and consequently defending it to make it to the Final for the first time in history.

<h3>5. Marcus Stoinis</h3>
<figure id="attachment_447348" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-447348" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-447348" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Marcus-Stoinis.jpg" alt="Marcus Stoinis" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-447348" class="wp-caption-text">Marcus Stoinis. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has made the cricketing world notice his potential in this format of the sport. Stoinis is one of the most versatile batsmen in T20 cricket presently. He has played for Kent in English T20 Blast, Melbourne Stars in BBL, and KXIP, RCB, and DC in IPL.
As of 18th November 2020, Stoinis is the 2nd highest run-scorer in franchise cricket this year, only behind Alex Hales. He has amassed 902 runs in 30 innings at a strike-rate of 143.2 and an average of 37.6. He batted as an opener for Melbourne Stars, scoring 705 runs in 17 innings. The highlight of that season was his knock of 147 against Sydney Sixers, registering the highest individual score ever in the history of the competition. He played the finisher role at Delhi Capitals, scoring more than 350 runs in the season.
If Stoinis happens to be a part of the auction pool, he is certainly going to have a lot of demand. He can bat anywhere where the team wants him to, besides chipping in with a few handy overs with the ball. This makes him not just one of the most valuable batsmen, but also one of the most valuable players going around in franchise cricket. He would be looking forward to taking Melbourne Stars to their first title win in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/bbl-big-bash-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Big Bash League</a>, after having a good run with the Delhi Capitals as they reached the finals.

<h3>4. Chris Gayle</h3>
<figure id="attachment_459527" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459527" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459527" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Chris-Gayle-4.jpg" alt="Chris Gayle" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459527" class="wp-caption-text">Chris Gayle. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
West Indies top-order batsman Chris Gayle has been one of the most successful openers in franchise cricket in the past 14 years. After his T20 debut in 2006, Gayle has scored 13584 runs in 403 innings at an average of 38.26 and a strike-rate of 146.72. He has played most his franchise cricket in IPL, CPL, Big Bash and T20 Blast.
There&#8217;s no T20 XI complete without Gayle&#8217;s inclusion. Such is the craze of the Universe Boss in the shortest format of the game. Recently, he smacked 1000 sixes in T20 cricket, which equals 6000 runs only from sixes! That&#8217;s a crazy stat if you are a fan of the T20 cricket format.
With reports suggesting that there might be a mega auction ahead of IPL 2021, Gayle would certainly be looking to get more amount than what he&#8217;s getting right now at KXIP. His consistency and explosive batting over the past decade make a strong case for teams that might be interested in looking for an overseas opener. If a mega auction happens, KXIP will most likely release him and try to get him back via RTM.

<h3>3. AB de Villiers</h3>
<figure id="attachment_456562" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456562" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456562" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/AB-de-Villiers-celebration.jpg" alt="AB de Villiers celebration" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456562" class="wp-caption-text">AB de Villiers. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
“Game set, and match for Abraham Benjamin de Villiers”- Ian Bishop. De Villiers has been one of the best batsmen of the modern era across all formats. After retiring from international cricket in 2018, AB has plied his trade in T20 Leagues across the world. While he has played for many franchises, his first priority remains Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. He also represented Brisbane Heat in 6 games in BBL.
De Villiers has scored 600 runs this year in t20 cricket in 20 innings at a highly explosive strike-rate of 153.8. He started the year playing for Brisbane Heat, scoring 140 odd runs in the 6 innings, which wasn&#8217;t impressive enough by his standards. However, he came to form in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Indian Premier League</a>, winning RCB 3-4 games singlehandedly with the bat.
His best performance came against Rajasthan Royals while chasing 179, as he massacred Unadkat and Archer to score 55 off just 22 balls, taking RCB home in a nail-biting run chase. He was, by far, RCB&#8217;s most impactful batsman of the season and the only one to have a strike-rate of more than 150.
Even though he is 36, De Villiers continues to amaze cricket fans across the globe. He even donned the gloves for RCB, which was a huge help for the inexperienced bowlers behind the stumps. More importantly, it paved way for another foreign player in the playing XI, ensuring that the Bangalore franchise was a lot more balanced compared to the previous three seasons.

<h3>2. Babar Azam</h3>
<figure id="attachment_465985" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-465985" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-465985" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Babar-Azam-PSL.jpg" alt="Babar Azam PSL" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-465985" class="wp-caption-text">Babar Azam PSL. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Currently Pakistan’s best batsman across formats, Azam is ranked 2nd on the ICC T20I batsmen&#8217;s rankings. He has played franchise cricket for Karachi Kings &amp; Islamabad United (PSL), Guyana Amazon Warriors (CPL), Somerset (English T20 Blast), and Sylhet Sixers (BPL). With 2504 runs in 73 innings at an average of 37.9 and a strike-rate of 124.1, he has established himself as one of the most consistent batsmen in this form of the game.
His latest accolades came as part of Karachi Kings in PSL, as they won their first PSL title. Babar was adjudged the Player of the Match in the final as well as Player of the Tournament for his exceptional performances with the bat throughout the course of the season. He also accumulated runs in the English T20 Blast playing for Somerset, scoring 218 runs in 7 innings at a healthy strike-rate of 138. His best t20 performance of the year came against Glamorgan- 114 off 62 balls.
The most remarkable thing about him this year was his ability to perform in the big matches. He scored 65 vs Multan in Qualifier-1 and 63* vs Lahore in the PSL finals, bagging the Player of the Match award in both the crunch games. Both the knocks came in pressure conditions in tricky chases, where the pitch was extremely slow.

<h3>1. KL Rahul</h3>
<figure id="attachment_457029" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-457029" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-457029" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/KL-Rahul-4.jpg" alt="KL Rahul" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-457029" class="wp-caption-text">KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
One of cricket’s most formidable batsmen in the shortest format in the last three years, KL Rahul tops the list of the top 10 current best batsmen in franchise cricket. Ranked 4th on the ICC T20I batsmen&#8217;s rankings, Rahul has only played franchise cricket in the Indian Premier League, where he has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Kings XI Punjab.
KL was the Orange Cap Holder of IPL 2020, with 670 runs in 14 innings at an average of 55.83 and a strike-rate of 129.34, with one 100 and five 50s to his name. This was also his first season as captain of KXIP, as they finished at 6th place with 6 wins in the league stage. His best performance in IPL came this year against his ex-franchise RCB, with a scintillating 132* off just 69 balls.
Rahul has the capability to play the anchor role at the top of the order and attack from the word go. While the intent seemed lacking this season due to the added pressure of captaincy, he did not fail to maintain his consistency with the bat. He is an asset for any T20 side and is expected to be retained by Kings XI if the Mega Auctions occur before IPL 2021.

From Kieron Pollard to AB de Villiers, here we rank the top 10 best batsmen in franchise cricket currently.

Ranking top 10 current best T20 batsmen in franchise cricket

While the T20 format is naturally inclined in favour of the batsmen owing to the shorter boundaries and bigger bats, bowlers have not