Top 10 current batsmen with highest average in T20I cricket

With international cricket finally now receiving its first-ever World Test Champion (New Zealand), the emphasis now ascends to the upcoming 2021 World T20. Most teams now through their brimming white-ball fixtures will be bracing themselves for the pinnacle event perhaps also making the 7th edition of the World T20, a peppy and fruitful one.

While in the realm of T20 cricket, the hefty hitting along with the overpowering strike rates might still remain the entailing need, the empowering consistency of a batter on the other hand still serves as a significant parameter to boss the game at all levels.

Mostly in T20Is, it’s the significant chunk of top-order batters that canons the list of batsmen with the highest averages and with the shortest format also now all set to become the center of attraction, let’s check out –

Top 10 current batters with highest T20I average

10. Glenn Maxwell

While Glenn Maxwell might not be a synonymous name when it comes to scoring consistently in the IPL, but for Australia, his T20I records are marvellously wonderful. Since the year 2012, Maxwell has in total played 72 T20I games and has scored 1780 runs at an enthralling average of 31.78. In terms of his strike rate, Maxwell at present stands second in the list of overall highest career ever strike rates in T20Is (158.92).

Further, his remarkable act of constantly scoring in the middle-order not only makes him stand fifth in the list of fewest ducks in a career but also ranks him third in terms of scoring most consecutive fifties (3) in T20Is. As an Australian, Maxwell also has bagged most player of the match awards(3) and overall stands fourth in the list.

Even in terms of reaching the three-figure mark, Glenn Maxwell outclasses his Australian teammates by scoring most (3) centuries. Also, currently, his explosive batting seemed to be in full song while playing for RCB which eventually also makes him much more bankable to soar high in the upcoming World T20.

9. Martin Guptill

Although Martin Guptill might not be a profuse opener when it comes to the world of Global T20 Leagues, the right-handed batsman for NZ has been a fertile run-machine from the top in T20Is. Since the year 2009, Guptill has been a regular name in NZ’s T20I setup, and from his record 102 games, the top-order batter has amassed a total of 2939 runs at an average of 32.29.

Over the years with the help of his bona fide establishment, Guptill is the second-fastest NZ player to score 2000 runs and overall fifth fastest in the all-time list. His regularity of being amongst the runs for most times also makes Guptill stand third in the list of most consecutive innings without a duck (69). However, one might also perceive Guptill as an attacking batsman, the cricketer also stands fifth in terms of playing the longest individual T20I innings by balls (69).

Further, the right-hander’s knack for taking any bowling into the cleaners has not only yielded Guptill two prolific tons in T20Is but also the record for smashing most sixes (147). Besides all this, Guptill also owns a unique record of amassing most runs on a single ground (626 runs at Eden Park Auckland).

8. Rohit Sharma

Ever since the Hitman had won the inaugural World T20, Rohit Sharma has been India’s most accomplished T20I batter for over a decade now. In his brimming 111 T20I games, Rohit has in total scored 2864 runs from his 103 innings that overall makes his average stand as 32.54.

Well, to sum up, Rohit’s consistency, the Hitman not only has the second most number of the fifties in T20Is (26) but also is the third-highest run-scorer of the format. Even his match count of 111 appearances makes Rohit the second-best to play the maximum number of T20Is at present. Further, Rohit is also the only batsman who has the most number of centuries (4) in T20Is.

While his strike rate of 138.96 might seem a bit dull, the top-order batman also stands second when it comes to hitting most sixes in the T20Is (133). Overall, for team India, Rohit Sharma has been an integral run machine in T20Is and is even anticipated to finish as the all-time great of the shortest format.

7. Najibullah Zadran

In a list that majorly comprises of the best top-order batters of the T20I game, having Najibullah’s presence as a middle-order batsman itself further raises his meritorious gameplay. Ever since his T20I debut against India in the 2012 World T20, the left-handed batsman with the help of consistent performances has now become one of the mainstays of Afghanistan’s batting.

Since 2012, Najibullah has in total played 63 T20I and out of his 54 innings, the southpaw has scored 1060 runs at an average of 33.12. Also, known for his explosive batting, his strike rate of 142.28 is also remarkable and also holds the second most number of not-outs (22) in this list. Further, the cricketer along with Mohammad Nabi also latches the record for the second-best partnership of 107 runs for the fifth wicket in T20Is.

At present, Najibullah is already Afghanistan’s fourth-highest run-getter in T20Is and with age being on his side, the left-hander is highly expected to surpass Mohammad Shahzad’s surmountable record of 1936 runs. Even in the upcoming World T20, the 28-year old will be expected to play a vital role in Afghanistan’s unsteady middle-order batting.

6. Faf Du Plessis

Although Faf might have now lost his place in South Africa’s T20I squad, his prolific 8-year T20I career has eventually allowed him to relish the best of what the format has to offer. In the realm of T20Is, Faf is one of the very few accomplished T20I players who had first played the IPL and then debuted for his country. The former SA captain has overall played 50 T20I games and has scored 1528 runs at an impressive average of 35.53.

To speak about his commendable consistency, Faf never lost his wicket for a duck in T20Is that eventually also makes him stand fifth in the overall list of no ducks in a career. Even to complete his 1000 T20I runs, Du Plessis is the fastest South African and overall sixth-fastest by taking mere 32 innings. Also, his only hundred in the format perhaps makes him rank third in the list of most runs in a match scored on the losing side.

At present, with the upcoming T20 World Cup happening in the sub-continent, South Africa might get entailed to infuse the veteran back into the squad merely because of his robust record in the IPL or other T20 leagues.

5. Aaron Finch

With Aaron Finch’s T20I career still going strong for around a decade, the Aussie captain is definitely one of the most daunting T20I openers in the game. In his 71 T20I matches, Finch has scored a total of 2346 runs at an extraordinary average of 38.45. The right-handed batter also has the best strike rate of 152.14, especially when compared to his top-order peers on this list.

As an Aussie captain, Finch not only has the record for the most runs in an innings as a captain but also as an individual batter (172). His overall attacking gameplay has yielded him the record of most fours in an innings (16) and also making him the third-fastest to accomplish 2000 runs in T20Is. Another unique record that the Aussie veteran also holds is the highest percentage of runs in a completed inning (75.10 %).

Further, to even elaborate about his consistency, Finch ranks himself fourth in the most innings (43) before his first duck and third when it comes to scoring consecutive fifties in the T20Is (3). All in all, whether it’s the ODIs or the T20Is, there’s absolutely no guessing that since the 2015 World Cup, Aaron Finch has been Australia’s prominent match-winner in white-ball cricket.

4. KL Rahul

Since his association with the Punjab Kings team in the IPL 2018, KL Rahul has been having an astonishing run both in the IPL and for the Indian team. Year on year by opening the innings in T20 cricket, Rahul has been topping all forms of runs charts whether for India or his IPL team. The cricketer possibly has all forms of gear to sustain any kind of bowling and arguably is one of the very few batters who can take the bowlers to cleaners especially in power-play situations.

However, precisely from the year 2020, Rahul’s T20I career has got skyrocketed especially since the NZ series when the right-hander had earned a player of the series award for his match-winning 224 runs in the 5 match series. Currently, the top-order batsman from his 45 T20I innings has scored a total of 1557 runs at an average of 39.92. Also, when it comes to fastest to 1000 T20I runs, the Karnataka cricketer ranks himself fourth in the record list.

Overall, regardless of justifying himself in other forms of the game, KL Rahul’s invigorating boom in T20Is has definitely allowed team India to play explosive cricket at the top especially when the cricketer is exuberantly on the song.

3. Dawid Malan

In a realm of England’s T20Is where explosive batting takes the utmost centerstage, someone like a Dawid Malan has eventually transpired to be a vital cog that is best known for his reliability. Unlike most of his peers in the England team, Malan’s game is more about finding gaps and boundaries rather than fetching towering sixes. His 360-degree gameplay not only allows him to explore all parts of the park, just like most top-order batters but also sometimes play an anchoring role despite affecting his overall strike rate of 142.01

At present, with a mounting average of 46.09, David Malan is not only at the top in terms of current T20I rankings but also someone to reach the fastest to 1000 T20I runs.  For England, the left-handed batter still holds the highest score of 78 in his debut innings that also overall places him at the ninth position in the most runs in a debut game list. Further, with Malan also being an experienced campaigner, the southpaw through his reliable temperament holds the record for getting indulged in the second-highest ever partnership of T20I cricket (182 runs).

Overall, with his T20I career merely starting for the year 2017, Dawid Malan, by leaving no stone unturned has aggregately scored 1014 runs from his 26 matches and 26 innings.

2. Babar Azam

Being an equivalent to what Virat Kohli offers to the Indian team, Babar Azam just dwells himself a tad second when it comes to the current list of highest T20I averages. The Pakistani skipper in his T20I career has in total played 52 innings from his 54 games and has scored 2035 runs at a soaring average of 47.32. However, before this year, even Babar was notoriously celebrated for nourishing his elusive average of above 50 in T20Is.

To further exemplify Babar’s reliability and consistency, the top-order batsman has not only taken the least number of innings (52) to score the fastest 2000 runs in T20Is but also has bagged second most player of the match awards (5) in the shortest format. Further in his ongoing captaincy adventure, Barber also ranks himself fourth in the records of most runs in a T20I innings by a captain. Also in terms of all Pakistani batters, Babar has the best record of 26 innings before scoring his first duck.

Overall, with Pakistan being a team that gets highly alien with its batting consistency, someone like Babar Azam since 2016 has been the best source of vitality, not only in T20Is but across all formats.

1. Virat Kohli 

While King Kohli might have got a bit grim in other formats, the skipper’s T20I numbers still remain exuberantly intact. In his decade-long career, Virat at present has not only has outshined everyone with his commendable average of 52.65 but also is currently the highest runs-scorer of the format (3159 runs). Comprehensively, the Indian skipper out of the 90 T20I games has in total batted in 84 innings along with maintaining an impressive strike rate of 139.04.

However, to further even break down his brimming average, Virat not only has the most number of not out innings (24) on this list but also outperforms everyone with a record number of most T20I fifties (28). Well, to even much more overwhelm, the Indian chase master also holds the record for most career fours (285) as well as most player of the series awards (7) in T20Is.

Overall, to add even further embellishments, Virat Kohli was not only the second fastest to score 2000 in T20Is but also ranks himself third in the list of most innings (47) before his first duck. No wonder why his everlasting consistency is meticulously rated as the best in the game even by the greats who had well renowned brimming batting averages.