Top 5 highest T20I run-scorers of all time

T20 is the most popular format in cricket, with almost a billion fans. Thanks to this level of attention, players such as Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga have become household names in cricketing circles because of their T20 exploits.

Gayle in particular played a big part in promoting the format. The West Indian smashed a scintillating 117 runs against South Africa in the opening match of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. Gayle’s feat inspired his fellow batsmen, such as Aaron Finch, JP Duminy and Brendon McCullum, to step up and score runs aplenty.

The standard of T20I batting is very high at the moment. On that note, here is a look at the top five run scorers of all time in T20I cricket.

#5 Brendon McCullum (2140 runs)

Brendon McCullum batting in a T20I match vs West Indies

Brendon McCullum, the inspirational New Zealand captain who retired from international cricket in 2016, is at No. 5 on this list.

McCullum played 71 T20Is in a stellar career which saw him captain the national side with great success. Under his leadership, New Zealand defied the odds and reached the final of the World Cup 2015, where they lost to Australia.

As a batsman, McCullum was known for his positive approach at the top of the order. In his prime, the right-hander could destroy a bowling attack in a few overs with his towering hits.

The now 38-year-old made his T20I debut against Australia in 2005. It was, coincidentally, the first ever T20I played.

McCullum enjoyed a red-hot streak from December 2008 to February 2009, when he registered consecutive scores of 59, 61, 56 not out and 69 not out. He punctuated his brilliance by scoring his maiden century in February 2010 (166 off 56 balls against Australia). He had a field day at Christchurch and smashed the Australians to smithereens with eight sixes.

McCullum notched up his second ton against Bangladesh in 2012.

He entertained cricket fans with his marvelous batting for three more years, before retiring. Overall, McCullum scored 2140 runs at an average of 35.66.

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#4 Shoaib Malik (2263 runs)

Shoaib Malik batting against West Indies

At No. 4 on this list is Shoaib Malik.

With a record 111 T20I matches under his belt, Malik is a vastly experienced player for Pakistan. He possesses exquisite timing and is a good player of the short ball, punishing deliveries in that area more often than not.

The Pakistani made his T20I debut in 2006. It did not take him long to prove his worth for his country; he accrued 195 runs (at an average of 39) in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, where his team lost in the final.

After a few moderately successful years, Malik was back to his supreme best in the first T20I against India, in the year 2012. Chasing a potentially tricky target of 135, the batsman kept his cool and steered Pakistan to a five-wicket victory.

Malik, who is still going strong, intends to retire after the ICC T20 World Cup in September 2020.

#3 Martin Guptill (2283 runs)

Martin Guptill is a name that is familiar to most cricket fans. An opening batsman, Guptill is one of the most consistent performers in New Zealand’s T20I team.

After his Test career failed to work out as planned, the right-hander carved out a special for himself in limited-overs cricket. Guptill's batting approach is what sets him apart: he likes to take a bit of time to get used to the pace and bounce of the pitch, but once set, can wreak havoc amongst the opposition with his powerful hits.

The 33-year-old made his first T20I appearance in 2009, and get out on a duck. But Guptill recovered from the potential setback and achieved a remarkable feat in 2012 - he became only the ninth player to score a T20I century, smashing 101 against South Africa.

That innings sparked a brilliant run over the next few years.

Guptill enjoyed a superb run of form from August 2015 to January 2016, when he notched up consecutive scores of 60, 58, 63, 2 and 87 not out. These performances gained the attention of IPL teams and shot him to prominence in cricketing circles.

Guptill registered his second ton in February 2018 (105 off 54 balls against Australia). It was a brilliant innings that was decorated with nine sixes.

Overall, Guptill has amassed 2283 runs at an average of 33.57.

#2 Rohit Sharma (2443 runs)

Rohit Sharma is the talk of the town at the moment, thanks to a flurry of scintillating batting displays in 2019.

First, Sharma scored five centuries at the World Cup in June. Then he smashed 529 runs in the recent Test series against South Africa.

Those feats tend to overshadow his T20I efforts, but his stats in the shortest format are by no means less impressive. He has scored 2434 runs at an average of 32.45 and racked up a record four centuries.

Sharma made his T20I debut in September 2007 and impressed in his very first innings, when he scored 50 not out. But the next few years were challenging for the young batsman. Sharma scored half-centuries only on sporadic occasions and was often criticized for throwing his wicket away.

But it all changed in 2014 (200 runs in the calender year at an average of 40). The right-hander became more mature at the crease and reaped the rewards of his newfound consistency.

He registered his first century against South Africa in 2015. It was a sensational innings studded with good timing and innovative shots, such as the upper cut and the scoop.

Sharma enjoyed even more success in 2017 and 2018, when he smashed as many as three T20I centuries.

#1 Virat Kohli (2450 runs)

Virat Kohli, one of the best batsmen in the world, is brilliant in every single format of the game.

Kohli has many positive attributes but possibly the standout one is his ability to find gaps. He constantly observes the field in search of vacant areas, and once he sets his eyes on one, he uses his wrists to steer the ball there. The red leather more often than not races away to the boundary.

This match-awareness is one of the reasons why Kohli is number one on this list. Overall, he has scored 2450 T20I runs in 67 innings at a stunning average of exactly 50.

The batsman made his T20I debut in June 2010. Unusually for a batsman of his quality, it took Kohli more than two years to score a half-century. But he has not looked back since.

Kohli enjoyed a run-scoring glut in August and September 2012, when he registered consecutive scores of 68, 70, 50, 40, 2 and 78 not out. He followed up these scores with a superb 2014.

Kohli played only two matches in 2015, but was back in the spotlight when he scored 90 not out against Australia. The match, played in January 2016, was contested on a big field and so Kohli didn't try to hit too many sixes. Rather, he took calculated risks and manipulated the field smartly as India racked up 188-3 batting first.

At 30 years of age, Kohli still has several years left in the tank. It is mind-boggling to imagine what he can conjure up in the next few years.