In T20I cricket, teams are expected to hit frequent boundaries and pile up runs. In modern-day T20I cricket, underestimating a team can be fatal as 200+ scores are getting chased down successfully. The key to piling up runs in cricket is to have a good and fast start. The openers are tasked with facing the fastest bowlers and still score runs at a fast speed. It doesn’t need to be said that being an opening batter is a difficult task. Let us have a look at the Top 10 Openers Today In T20I Cricket-
1. Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
Mohammad Rizwan is a young wicketkeeper-batter from Pakistan who was born in Peshawar. As an opener, he has played for Pakistan in 29 innings and scores at an average of 69.23 and strike rate of 134.75. In the year 2021, he scored 1326 runs to become the only batter in T20I history to score 1000+ runs in a calendar year. He was a vital cog in Pakistan’s successful year of 2021.
2. Rohit Sharma (India)
Undoubtedly, Rohit Sharma is one of the most terrifying openers across all three formats. He is one of the sweetest timers of the cricket ball. As aT20I opener, he has scored 2723 runs (most runs by an Indian opener) in 85 innings at a strike rate of 142.34.He has scored most centuries (4) in T20I cricket, all as an opener. He can score quick runs even when wickets are falling on the other end.
3. David Warner (Australia)
David Warner is the first Australian player to be selected in the national team without any experience in first-class cricket. He made his T20I debut against South Africa in 2009 at Melbourne. As an opener, he averages 33.60 in T20I and strikes at 139.94. He has scored 1 century and 20 half-centuries while opening.
4. Paul Stirling (Ireland)
Paul Stirling undoubtedly is the best batter to have played for Ireland. In 2009, he made his T20I debut against New Zealand at Aberdeen. While opening, Stirling has played in 93 innings and has scored 2606 runs, averaging 30.65 and striking at 136.51. He has smashed most fours (302) in T20 cricket.
5. Jos Buttler (England)
Joseph Buttler is a right-handed wicketkeeper-batter from Somerset who is flexible to the batting position. As an opener, he has batted in 80 innings and has scored 2140 runs at the strike rate of 141.16. In 2020 against South Africa at Cape Town, he shared a 167*-run partnership for the second-wicket with Dawid Malan to chase down a target of 192. This is the highest second-wicket stand in T20I cricket.
6. Quinton De Kock (South Africa)
Quinton de Kock is an explosive left-handed opening batter and a wicket-keeper from Johannesburg. He started opening the innings in 2013. Since then, while opening, he has scored 1797 runs at a strike rate of 135.52. He is the highest-scoring opening batter for South Africa.
7. Martin Guptill (New Zealand)
Martin Guptill has 2 centuries in T20Is as an opener. He has scored 2972 runs at a strike rate of 141.18 while batting upfront. With 3299 runs, he is the leading run-getter in T20I cricket. He has also hammered most sixes (165) in T20I history.
8. KL Rahul (India)
Kannaur Lokesh Rahul is a Bangalore-born wicketkeeper-batter for India. He is the third Indian batter to score a century in all three formats. He is the third leading run-getter for India in T20I cricket. He averages 39.77 runs, strikes at 140.60, and has scored 1392 runs as an opener.
9. Aaron Finch (Australia)
Aaron Finch was born in Victoria in 1986. He made his T20I debut in 2011 against England. Since then, he has led Australia in most T20Is (56). He has scored 2458 runs as an opener and strikes dangerously at 146.74. He is also the leading run-getter (2608) for Australia in T20Is. In a match against Zimbabwe in 2018, he smashed 172 runs (highest T20I individual score by a captain), laced with 16 fours (most in an innings) and 10 sixes.
10. Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Babar Azam made his T20I debut in 2016 but started opening in 2018. As an opener, he has 1846 runs under his belt. He strikes at 43.95 while opening. In 2021, he had a dream run with his opening partner Mohammad Rizwan. In 22 innings, the duo scored 1165 runs at an average of 55.47. The duo stitched five 100-run partnerships and two 50-run partnerships.
