When it comes to T20s, openers have a different job to do, taking advantage of powerplay overs, playing according to the situation in a run chase, and so on. As a result of this, we’ve seen that majority of the highest run-getters in this format bat at the top. Today we’ll look at the top ten opening batters in the shortest version of the game.
1. Chris Gayle
‘The Universe Boss’; Chris Gayle, is arguably the most incredible batter to play in the Twenty over format. He picks himself up for the first spot. He has scored 14,562 runs with 22 centuries, all at a strike rate of 144 in T20s
2. Aaron Finch
If there is a player who came closest to breaking Gayle’s invincible 175 runs record, it was Aaron Finch, who unfortunately missed out on it. The former Australian skipper is one of the most impactful openers to don the Australia jersey in the T20s.
3. Brendon Mccullum
The man who revolutionized the way of batting in T20Is, McCullum was one of a kind player who could take on any bowling attack in the world. His explosive batting is admired by all. One fine example is his 158* in the first match of IPL.
4. David Warner
David ‘Consistent’ Warner is the name one might call him, simply due to his unbelievable consistency while opening the batting. Australia’s principal architect of T20 WC 2022, Warner, is often overlooked, but players of his caliber don’t stay under the spotlight for a long time
5. Rohit Sharma
The Indian skipper, might not be the best IPL batsman, but he arguably is one of the best openers in T20Is. He holds the record for scoring a century in the least number of balls- 35 ball century against Lanka.
6. Jos Buttler
Jos the Boss, Buttler came into the scenes only after opening the batting some years ago, but since then he has been the mainstay of any team he has played for. The dynamite picks his spot perfectly on the list.
7. Virat Kohli
The greatest batter of our generation, Kohli has opened the batting quite a lot in T20 cricket, although his batting position keeps shuffling between opening and number 3. He manages to enter the list owing to his remarkable consistency at the top of the order.
8. Martin Guptill
One of the greatest batters to represent New Zealand in T20Is, Guptill makes his entry in the list. On his day, he can single-handedly win you matches from a losing spot. The dangerous Kiwi batter is a force to reckon with in T20 matches.
9. Mohammed Rizwan
The Pakistani opener is a beast when it comes to T20 cricket. Rizwan is currently at the peak of his career and one might argue that he is presently one of the best wicket-keeper batters in world cricket. He has the record for most runs in a calendar year in T20s.
10. Faf Du Plessis
The only Protean on the list, Faf has rediscovered his game and is enjoying his time batting up the order. The South African, while opening, looks to take full advantage of the powerplay and play as an aggressor or finisher, depending on the situation. Currently, he is one of the best fits for any T20 team in the world.
