Some records take years to break, but they are meant to be broken. Jos Buttler joined the second group during England’s latest T20I against Sri Lanka.
The England wicketkeeper-batter came into the game close to an important milestone. By the time he finished his innings, one of India’s biggest T20I stars had dropped one place on the all-time list.
Buttler’s knock also brings attention to the players with the most runs in T20I cricket. So, where does Buttler stand now, and which other players are around him?
Jos Buttler Moves Past Rohit Sharma
Buttler needed 42 runs in the first England vs Sri Lanka T20I to pass Rohit Sharma’s 4,231 T20I runs.
He reached the mark quickly.
Buttler scored 80 runs from 44 balls. He hit eight fours and three sixes. The knock took his career total to 4,292 runs.
He also reached his half-century from only 29 balls. His quick start helped England post a huge total.
The innings moved Buttler above Rohit on the list of the highest run-scorers in T20I cricket.
Rohit ended his T20I career with 4,231 runs from 159 matches. Buttler has now scored 4,292 runs from 161 matches.
These numbers also show how important Buttler has been for England in T20Is. He has scored two centuries and 29 fifties in the format. His career strike rate is also above 149.
Buttler has now added another big achievement to his international career.
Top 5 Highest Run-Scorers in Men’s T20I Cricket
Buttler has moved into second place. Here is the current top five T20I run-scorers:
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s | 100s | Highest Score |
| Babar Azam | 145 | 136 | 4,596 | 38.94 | 128.02 | 39 | 3 | 122 |
| Jos Buttler | 161 | 148 | 4,292 | 34.33 | 149.44 | 29 | 2 | 131 |
| Rohit Sharma | 159 | 151 | 4,231 | 32.05 | 140.89 | 32 | 5 | 121* |
| Virat Kohli | 125 | 117 | 4,188 | 48.69 | 137.04 | 38 | 1 | 122* |
| Paul Stirling | 163 | 160 | 3,895 | 26.31 | 134.35 | 24 | 1 | 115* |
Babar Azam – 4,596 Runs
Babar Azam remains at the top of the T20I highest run-scorers list with 4,596 runs from 145 matches.
The Pakistan batter has scored three centuries and 39 fifties. His average of 38.94 is also the highest among the five players on this list.
Jos Buttler – 4,292 Runs
Buttler has moved into second place with 4,292 runs.
His biggest strength compared with the other players on this list is his scoring speed.
His 149.44 T20I strike rate is the highest among the top five. He has also hit 189 sixes in his T20I career.
Rohit Sharma – 4,231 Runs
Rohit spent many years among the top names in T20I cricket. He ended his career with 4,231 runs.
The former India captain has five T20I centuries, which is the most among these five players. He also scored 32 fifties and has a highest score of 121 not out.
Virat Kohli – 4,188 Runs
Virat Kohli is only 43 runs behind Rohit with 4,188 T20I runs.
Kohli played fewer matches than the other players on this list, but his career average of 48.69 stands out. His highest T20I score is 122 not out.
Paul Stirling – 3,895 Runs
Ireland’s Paul Stirling takes fifth place with 3,895 runs.
Stirling has played 163 T20Is. He has scored 24 fifties and one century. His 449 fours are also the most among the five players in the table.
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What Happened in England vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I?
Buttler’s milestone was only one part of a big night for England.
After Buttler scored 80, England captain Harry Brook took control of the innings. Brook smashed an unbeaten 114 from 49 balls and helped England reach 254/4 in 20 overs.
Buttler and Brook also added 128 runs for the second wicket, putting Sri Lanka under huge pressure.
Sri Lanka struggled during the chase. England’s pace attack quickly put the visitors in trouble, with Sonny Baker taking 3/12 from his four overs.
Jamie Overton and Liam Dawson took two wickets each. Sri Lanka then fell to 135 all out in 19 overs.
Dunith Wellalage scored 33, but he received little help from the other batters. England won the match by 119 runs.
The victory gave England a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. It also extended their winning streak against Sri Lanka in T20Is to 13 matches. You can check the scoreboard of this match HERE.
For Buttler, though, the biggest moment came during his own innings. His 80 runs did more than help England post a huge total. He moved past Rohit Sharma and took second place among the highest run-scorers in men’s T20I cricket.
Babar Azam remains ahead, but Buttler has now moved into second place in the T20I run-scoring list.
As of now, only three players from the top five are active T20I cricketers, while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have already retired after the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
What do you think? Will Jos Buttler go past Babar Azam in this record? Or will Babar continue to score more and more runs in T20Is? Let us know your prediction in the comments.
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