Cricket News: Statistical Highlights from ICC Men’s T20 World Cups
By Garima Srivastava
The inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup kicked off in 2007, with India, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, emerging victorious after a nail-biting final against Pakistan. Since then, the tournament has seen seven more editions, with the latest one held in 2022.
Related: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Groups and Fixtures Announced
As the 2024 edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup draws near, we delve into some key statistics from previous tournaments.
Players with Appearances in All Editions of the Men’s T20 World Cups:
| Player | T20 World Cup appearances |
|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022 |
India’s T20I captain Rohit Sharma is set to lead the side in the upcoming tournament, marking his record ninth appearance. Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh is the only other player to have featured in all editions of the tournament.
Shakib’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup is yet to be confirmed. If selected, he will join Rohit as the only players to have competed in every T20 World Cup.
Most Appearances in Men’s T20 World Cup History:
| Player | No. of Matches |
|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 39 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 36 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL) | 35 |
| Dwayne Bravo (WI), Shahid Afridi (PAK), Shoaib Malik (PAK), David Warner (AUS) | 34 |
Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most number of Men’s T20 World Cup matches, with 39 games to his name. Shakib Al Hasan follows closely with 36 appearances.
David Warner, the Australian opener, is next on the list among active players and is expected to climb higher in the upcoming edition.
Highest Run-Scorers at the Tournament:
| Player | Runs scored |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 1141 |
| Mahela Jayawardena (SL) | 1016 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 965 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 963 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL) | 897 |
Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli leads the pack with the most runs in T20 World Cups, amassing 1141 runs across five editions. He was the top run-scorer in the 2014 edition, scoring 319 runs in six matches – the highest by any batter in a single Men’s T20 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, is not far behind Kohli, sitting in fourth place with 963 runs. A series of explosive innings could propel him higher on this list.
Highest Wicket-Takers at the Tournament:
| Player | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 47 |
| Shahid Afridi (PAK) | 39 |
| Lasith Malinga (SL) | 38 |
| Saeed Ajmal (PAK) | 36 |
| Ajantha Mendis (SL), Umar Gul (PAK) | 35 |
Among the top five wicket-takers, Bangladesh’s left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan leads the pack. He is the only active player in this elite group and is expected to feature in the upcoming tournament. Three more wickets will take his tally to a remarkable 50 T20 World Cup wickets.
Former Sri Lankan pace sensation Lasith Malinga is the only fast bowler in the top five, with 38 wickets to his name.
Highest Individual T20 World Cup Score:
| Player | Runs | Opposition | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brendon McCullum (NZ) | 123 from 58 balls | v Bangladesh | 21 Sep 2012, Pallekele |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 117 from 57 balls | v South Africa | 11 Sep 2007, Johannesburg |
| Alex Hales (ENG) | 116* from 64 balls | v Sri Lanka | 27 Mar 2014, Chattogram |
| Ahmed Shehzad (PAK) | 111* from 62 balls | v Bangladesh | 30 Mar 2014, Mirpur |
| Rilee Rossouw (SA) | 109 from 56 balls | v Bangladesh | 27 Oct 2022, Sydney |
Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum holds the record for the highest individual score in Men’s T20 World Cups. His blistering knock of 123 runs was studded with 11 fours and seven sixes.
Chris Gayle is the only batter to have scored two Men’s T20 World Cup centuries, achieving the feat for the second time during West Indies’ successful campaign in 2016.
Fastest Men’s T20 World Cup Century:
| Player | Balls taken | Opposition | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 47 | v England | 16 Mar 2016, Wankhede |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 50 | v South Africa | 11 Sep 2007, Johannesburg |
| Brendon McCullum (NZ) | 51 | v Bangladesh | 21 Sep 2012, Pallekele |
| Rilee Rossouw (SA) | 52 | v Bangladesh | 27 Oct 2022, Sydney |
| Ahmed Shehzad (PAK) | 58 | v Bangladesh | 30 Mar 2014, Mirpur |
West Indies’ Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest hundred in the tournament, reaching the landmark in just 47 balls in 2016. He surpassed his previous record of a 50-ball century set in 2007.
Relive Chris Gayle’s sizzling century for West Indies at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2016.
Most Sixes in Men’s T20 World Cups:
| Player | No. of sixes |
|---|---|
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 63 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 35 |
| Jos Buttler (ENG), Yuvraj Singh (IND) | 33 |
| Shane Watson (AUS), David Warner (AUS) | 31 |
West Indies’ Chris Gayle leads the pack with the most sixes in T20 World Cups, hitting a staggering 63 sixes. India’s Rohit Sharma is second on the list with 35 sixes.
India’s Yuvraj Singh, who famously hit six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad in the 2007 edition, also features in the top five. Among active players, Rohit, England captain Jos Buttler, and Australia opener Warner are also on this list.
Best T20 World Cup Innings Figures:
| Player | Bowling figures | Opposition | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajantha Mendis (SL) | 6/8 in 4 overs | v Zimbabwe | 18 Sep 2012, Hambantota |
| Rangana Herath (SL) | 5/3 in 3.3 overs | v New Zealand | 31 Mar 2014, Chattogram |
| Umar Gul (PAK) | 5/6 in 3 overs | v New Zealand | 13 Jun 2009, The Oval |
| Sam Curran (ENG) | 5/10 in 3.4 overs | v Afghanistan | 22 Oct 2022, Perth |
| Ahsan Malik (NED) | 5/19 in 4 overs | v South Africa |