T20 format is one of the most famous formats of cricket and one needs to be very consistent and fit while playing this format. It’s a game of margin and a player’s consistency can help the player as well as his team to perform better in this format. Following are the few players who have been consistent while playing this format and have achieved a coveted milestone of 2000 runs.
Two of the greatest batsmen of the modern era – Babar Azam and Virat Kohli – are at the top of this list. India, Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand appear on this list. Most notably, West Indies and Sri Lanka and England do not have any of their players included in this list.
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Let’s have look at the top 5 players to score fastest 2000 runs:
1. Babar Azam (PAK) –52 INNINGS
Pakistan’s captain and middle-order batsman Babar Azam tops the list of the batsmen fastest to 2000 runs in T20I cricket. He broke the record of India’s captain Virat Kohli previously placed at the top of this list.
It took Babar Azam 52 innings to complete his 2000 runs in the T20I format. In April 2021, while playing against Zimbabwe in Harare he achieved this feat 4 years and 230 days since his debut. He scored 52 from 46 in this match to help the team register a win by 24 runs.
2. Virat Kohli (IND) – 56 INNINGS
Indian captain Virat Kohli is second on the list of the cricketers fastest to 2000 T20I runs. He is considered one of the most consistent players in all formats and especially in T20Is. He is also the first Indian player to be on this list.
Playing in July 2018 against England, he scored his 2000th run in this limited-overs format in Manchester. Virat Kohli needed 56 innings to score his 2000th run and 8 years and 21 days since his debut after playing 60 T20Is. India registered a comfortable victory in this match while chasing the target of 160 runs and the captain scored 20 not out from 22 balls in that chase.
3. Aaron Finch (AUS) – 62 INNINGS
Australia’s captain of limited-overs format, Aaron Finch, is the 3rd-fastest to score 2000 runs in T20Is. Aaron made his debut on 12 January 2011 and 9 years and 236 days after, achieved 2000 runs in T20Is.
He played 62 innings from 62 matches and on 4 September 2020, while playing against England in Southampton, he reached the milestone. England scored 162 runs on the board and while chasing the target of 163, Aron Finch played a knock of 46 from 32 balls which ended up on the losing side.
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4. Brandon McCullum (NZ) – 66 INNINGS
New Zealand’s attacking opening batsman and then captain of the team Brandon McCullum is placed 4th on this list of the players fastest to score 2000 runs in T20Is. He is one of the best T20 specialist batsmen and always likes to give fiery starts to his team.
McCullum made his debut on 17 February 2005 and it took him 9 years and 40 days to make it to the list of the fastest to score 2000 runs. In 2014, in Chattogram, while playing against the Netherlands he reached the 2000-run mark. To achieve the feat, he needed a total of 66 innings from 67 matches. While chasing the target of 152 runs against the Netherlands, McCullum played a brilliant knock of 65 from 45 balls which resulted in a victory for his team. He also won the Man of the Match award in that game.
5. Martin Guptil (NZ) – 68 INNINGS
Another New Zealander, Martin Guptill, who is also an opener of the team in this format, is 5th on this list of the fastest to score 2000 T20Is runs. He is New Zealand’s second player to feature in this list.
Martin Guptil scored his 2000th run against Pakistan in Mount Maunganui on 28 January 2018. Since his debut on 15 February 2009, it took him 8 years and 347 days to be included in this list of the greatest batsmen. He played 68 innings from 70 matches and scored his 2000th run against Pakistan. Pakistan set a big total of 181 runs in this match and while chasing the target of 182, Martin Guptil scored a quick knock of 59 from 43 balls with 4 sixes to his account. Unfortunately, his knock ended up on the losing side.
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