Who owns most runs in a T20 World Cup edition?
The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup is set to begin on June 1. Like the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season, batters will be looking to cash in during the mega ICC tournament. However, slow and dry pitches in the Caribbean might give them a run for the money. Here are the batters with most runs in a T20 WC edition.
Virat Kohli: 319 runs, 2014
Indian batter Virat Kohli holds the record for scoring the most runs in a T20 World Cup edition. He smashed 319 runs from six games at an astronomical average of 106.33 in 2014. Notably, India finished as the runners-up after losing the final to Sri Lanka. Besides, Kohli remains the only player with 250+ runs in multiple T20 World Cup editions.
Tillakaratne Dilshan: 317 runs, 2009
Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan made his name as a destructive opener in the late 2000s. He starred for the Lankans in the 2009 T20 World Cup where they reached the final. Dilshan, who grabbed eyeballs with his famous 'Dilscoop' shot, smacked 317 runs from seven games at a strike rate of 144.74. His tally included three half-centuries.
Babar Azam: 303 runs, 2021
Babar Azam, who is set to lead Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup, smashed 303 runs at 60.60 in 2021. Babar remains the only Pakistani batter with over 300 runs in this regard. His opening partnerships with Mohammad Rizwan powered Pakistan throughout the 2021 tournament. Pakistan reached the semi-final where they lost to eventual champions Australia.
Mahela Jayawardene: 302 runs, 2010
Former Sri Lanka batter Mahela Jayawardene remains the only other player with over 300 runs in a T20 World Cup edition. He slammed 302 runs from six games at a strike rate of 159.78 in the 2010 tournament. Jayawardene also became Sri Lanka's only centurion in the tournament. Notably, he also starred in Sri Lanka's title-winning run in 2014.
