Ranking the world's top 10 wicket-keeper batters in T20s ahead of Asia Cup 2025 ft. Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler

The 2025 Asia Cup is less than a month away from kickoff, resulting in T20 fever ramping up among fans. The eight-team competition will take place in the UAE, commencing on September 9.

The last year of T20 cricket has seen a significant upswing in the impact of wicketkeepers worldwide. While some glovemen provide double duty of top-order runs and dismissals behind the wicket, others act as finishers with the willow, while affecting dismissals with the gloves.

All-rounders aside, having excellent wicketkeepers has become a premium for team balance in modern T20.

On that note, let us rank the 10 best wicketkeepers in the world in the T20 format, considering performances in the last year.

Honorable mentions:

Jonny Bairstow, Mohammad Rizwan, Kusal Mendis, Phil Salt

Ranking the world's top 10 wicket-keeper batters in T20s

#10 Heinrich Klaasen

Even in a supposedly down period over the last 12 months, former South African Heinrich Klaasen produced several memorable knocks. The 34-year-old scored almost 500 runs across all T20s at an average of 28.41 and a strike rate of 154.31 in 20 games as a wicketkeeper.

Klaasen also played as a specialist batter occasionally in the past 12 months, and his best knock in this period came as a batter, when he smashed 105* off 39 deliveries against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2025.

#9 Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma played a massive role in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) winning their maiden IPL title earlier this year. Despite predominantly batting down the order, the 31-year-old has scored almost 400 runs over the past year at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 190.38.

Jitesh enjoyed an incredible IPL 2025 campaign, finishing with 261 runs at an average of 37.28 and a strike rate of 176.35 in 15 outings. His 10-ball 24 was crucial in turning the tide in RCB's direction in the grand finale against the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

#8 Quinton de Kock

Quinton de Kock has continued dominating at the top of the order despite retiring from international cricket after the 2024 T20 World Cup. The southpaw has scored the second most runs with 1,194 in the last 12 months in overall T20s among wicketkeepers, playing for various franchises around the world.

The 32-year-old has amassed nine half-centuries and a century with a batting average of 31.42 and a strike rate of almost 142 in 43 matches in this period.

#7 Ryan Rickelton

Hailed as Quinton de Kock's successor in South African cricket, Ryan Rickelton has impressed in T20s throughout the past year. The 29-year-old is the sixth leading run-scorer in the format among keepers since the same time last year with 987 runs at an average of 34.03 and a strike rate of 154.94 in 31 games.

Rickelton enjoyed an excellent debut season in the IPL this year, scoring 388 runs at an average of almost 30 and a strike rate of over 150 in 14 games. The top-order gloveman has also tallied 263 runs at an average of 29.22 and a strike rate of 136.97 in nine T20Is in this period.

#6 Tim Seifert

New Zealand's Tim Seifert continues to be among the most underrated T20 wicketkeepers in world cricket. The right-hander boasts the ability to bat at multiple positions in the order and has been sensational in T20Is over the last 12 months.

Seifert averages 49 at a strike rate of over 138 in five T20Is over the past year. He is also one of only five wicketkeepers to have scored over 1,000 runs in overall T20s, with 1,058 runs in 49 matches.

#5 Nicholas Pooran

There aren't too many rankings in the world without Nicholas Pooran's presence in T20s. The West Indian left-hander is the fifth leading run-scorer in the short format over the past 12 months among glovemen with 1,011 runs at an average of 40.44 and a strike rate of 162.54 in 32 games.

Pooran also played a role in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) being in playoff contention for most of the IPL 2025 season. He finished with 524 runs at an average of 43.66 and a strike rate of over 196 in 14 outings.

#4 Shai Hope

West Indies captain Shai Hope has evolved into a remarkably consistent T20 wicketkeeper-batter over the last year. The 31-year-old has scored the most runs since August 2024 in overall T20s among wicketkeepers with 1,258 runs at an average of almost 42 and a strike rate of 129.02 in 35 games.

Hope has also scored the third most runs in T20Is during the same period as a wicketkeeper with 358 runs at an average of almost 36 and a strike rate of 140.94 in 11 games.

#3 Sanju Samson

India's Sanju Samson has enjoyed instant success at the top of the order in T20Is over the past year. The stylish batter has scored the most runs among wicketkeepers in T20Is with 417 runs at an average of 37.90 and a strike rate of 183.70 in 12 games, including an astonishing three centuries.

He also boasts excellent numbers in overall T20s over the past year, with 739 runs at an average of 35.19 and a strike rate of 161.70 in 23 games.

#2 Josh Inglis

Australia's Josh Inglis is arguably the most destructive T20 wicketkeeper batter in world cricket at the moment. With the ability to smash deliveries around the park, the 30-year-old is one of only two wicketkeepers with over 400 runs in T20Is at an average of 37.09 and a strike rate of 181.33 in 15 games.

Inglis played several game-changing knocks in PKBS' run to the IPL 2025 final, resulting in his 739 runs in overall T20s at an average of 33.59 and a strike rate of 169.10 in 28 matches.

#1 Jos Buttler

England veteran Jos Buttler continues to produce the goods in the T20 format around the globe. The 34-year-old has scored the third most runs among wicketkeepers in overall T20s with 1,131 runs at an average of 49.17 and a strike rate of 153.04 in 29 matches.

Buttler was at his best in IPL 2025, finishing with 538 runs at an average of almost 60 and a strike rate of 163.03 in 14 outings. While he has played only three T20Is in the past 12 months, an average of 55 at a strike rate of 157.14 speaks to Buttler's prowess as the world's best in T20s.