Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey
10 incredible T20 Cricket Records that will be hard to beat. T20 has taken the cricket world by storm – check out these 10 records.
13th June, 2003. The first ever T20 match took place, played between Durham and Nottinghamshire at Chester-le-Street. It is safe to say that the game of cricket was changed forever.
Less than two years later, the T20 format made its debut on the international scene. Ricky Ponting lit up Auckland, producing a gem of a knock that gave us a glimpse of what the next 15 years would hold in store.
The T20 format has exploded. Now the most popular and lucrative form of the game, a number of T20 Leagues, headlined by the Indian Premier League, have changed the cricketing landscape. Gone are the days where international cricket was the be-all-and-end-all. Now, many players strive to achieve great statistics and performances in different T20 Leagues around the globe.
With this growth, there have been a number of incredible records, both on the T20 League and International stage. Given that T20 is a game of uncertainty and unpredictability, any of the following could be broken one day.
However, it will be mighty challenging.
Following on from 10 great (mostly Test) cricket records, here are 10 T20 records that will be mighty hard to beat.
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1. Best figures in an innings
It took 16 years of top-level T20 cricket for a bowler to take seven wickets in a single innings.
This was achieved by part-time off-spinner Colin Ackermann, playing for Leicestershire against Birmingham Bears in August 2019. His figures of 7/18 will certainly be tough to top!
2. Highest partnership: 236
Any team would be thrilled with 236 in a T20 game, let alone a 236-run partnership.
Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani put on quite the show for Afghanistan in February 2019, smashing the Irish bowlers to all parts. In the process, they broke the previous record of 229 held by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, playing for RCB against Gujarat Lions.
That record stood for nearly three years, and you get the feeling this record of 236 runs could be very difficult to beat.
3. Sunil Narine’s maiden super over
This feat can be equalled, rather than ‘beaten’. However, that doesn’t make it any easier.
Playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Red Steel in CPL 2014, Sunil Narine defended 12 runs in the Super Over without conceding a single run. An unbelievable feat.
4. Most consecutive wins and losses
The Sialkot Stallions were a National T20 Cup side in Pakistan. Over the course of four years (2006-2010), they put together 25 consecutive T20 victories, which remains unbroken today. With T20 such an unpredictable game, putting together consecutive victories takes some effort.
The next best streak is 15, held by Karnataka.
Also, the most consecutive defeats record could stand for a long time to come. Quetta Bears, also based in Pakistan, have the unwanted record of losing 27 straight matches between 2005 and 2012.
5. Chris Gayle’s 960 career sixes
How can there be a T20-records article without mentioning the ‘Universe Boss’?
Chris Gayle, arguably the greatest T20 player of all time, is currently the only player with over 900 sixes. He has 960 to his name, with the next best his West Indian teammate Kieron Pollard with 636. Over 300 less.
The next highest among active T20 cricketers? Shane Watson with 431.
In relation to Gayle’s record of 13,051 runs, Virat Kohli (currently 8,556 runs) has a great chance of surpassing Gayle by the time his career is over.
6. Highest match aggregate: 497 runs
Big totals are a common sight in T20s around the world. However, one record that has stood for nearly three years has been the highest match aggregate in a T20.
On December 21st 2016, Central District and Otago traded blow-for-blow in a match that saw a huge 497 runs scored. Since then, both the West Indies national team and strong CPL sides have come close to achieving this aggregate, but have fallen short.
7. Alyssa Healy’s 148 – highest women’s score
What a cricketer Alyssa Healy is. Just weeks after Meg Lanning achieved the highest ever T20 score by a women’s cricketer (133), Healy smashed 148 against Sri Lanka.
With the quality of women’s cricket on the rise, it is possible that another superstar can break this record. However, it will take some effort.
8. Highest number of runs in a single T20 campaign
With players now often playing more than 10 matches in a single T20 League campaign, there are ample opportunities to score big runs.
However, Virat Kohli’s 973 runs, compiled in IPL 2016, remains the highest number of runs scored by a player in a single T20 series/campaign. The record has stood for nearly four years, with David Warner (848) next best, achieved in the same campaign.
Since 2016, only Kane Williamson has scored over 700 runs in a single campaign, which suggests this record will be a tough one to beat.
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9. Most runs conceded in a spell
Sarmad Anwar, playing for Sialkot Stallions against Lahore Lions, has the unwanted record of most runs conceded in a T20 spell. Over eight years later, Sarmad’s record of 0/81 off four overs is yet to be broken.
Kasun Rajitha came very close recently, conceding 75 against Australia in Adelaide, which is the most expensive spell in T20 International history.
10. Highest percentage of runs in a completed innings
In July 2018, Aaron Finch hammered 172 against Zimbabwe, which constituted a huge 75.10% of Australia’s final total of 229/2.
Finch’s 172 is the only instance of a player scoring over 75% of his/her team’s runs in a completed innings. Also, only on seven other occasions has a player scored more than 70% of his/her team’s total. On this basis, it will take one hell of an effort from a player (or a very poor effort from the rest of the team) to break this record.
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Do you have any records you think should be added here? Leave a comment!
Thanks for reading!
