Climbing 10K mountain: 3 batsmen who have completed 10,000 runs in T20 Cricket

Cricket is played across various formats, and records in every section remain significant as they define the careers of the players. The brilliant batter of Pakistan, Shoaib Malik, recently joined a prestigious list of players who have scored 10,000 or more runs in the T20 format cricket. People from the cricket world came up to congratulate him as he became the third cricketer to unlock this milestone. However, it is a well-known fact that he is not the only player to enter the club, and there are two more players who have touched this feat. Let’s look at the three players who have 10,000 or more runs in T20 cricket.

3. Shoaib Malik

Now a recent name in the prestigious list is obviously Pakistan Star Shoaib Malik. From 2005-2020, he remained with teams such as Barbados Tridents, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Multan Sultan, and many more. He has 10083 runs to his name in the T20 format of the game, with 62 half-centuries. He has an average of 37.20 and maintained a strike rate of 125.62 over the year.

Malik’s highest score in a T20 game is an unbeaten knock of 95 runs in the year 2015 in a match for Sialkot Stallions against Peshawar in Pakistan’s Super8 T20 Cup. He became the first Asian to breach the 10,000 run mark in the T20 format of the game.

2. Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard is celebrating his 500th T20 in style! ?

His 15-ball 34 has taken him to 10000 T20 runs ? #SLvWI pic.twitter.com/SUt23Zy7a1

— ICC (@ICC) March 4, 2020

Plying his trade for Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Mumbai Indians, Karachi Kings, and many more, he has good 10,381 runs in his account in the T20 format of the game. Pollard started playing the T20 league in the year 2006 and to date has only one century to his name. However, he has smashed 51 half-centuries mostly batting as a finisher for most of his teams. He has an average of 31.55 and a stunning strike rate of 151.90 in the shortest format of the game.

His highest score in the T20 format stands to be 104, which came in the 2018 season of CPL. Playing for St Lucia, he smashed a ton to take his team home by 38 runs.

1. Chris Gayle

Talking in the order, Universe Boss Chris Gayle was the first player to amass 10,000 T20 runs in the world of cricket. In his span of 2005-2020 of T20 cricket, he has 13,349 runs to his credit, with 175* being his highest score in the same format. His 175 off only 66 balls came in IPL when he scripted a memorable win for RCB by massive 130 runs. His innings came against Pune Warriors in the year 2013. He has an average of 38.24 and maintained the strike rate of 146.80 in the T20 format of cricket.

Congratulations @henrygayle.. first to get to 10000 runs #T20 #Cricket, True #Spartan Warrior.

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 19, 2017

Gayle has scored 22 centuries and 83 half-centuries to touch the 13,000 run mark. He has plied his trade for several teams in T20 like Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab, St Kitts, and Nevis Patriots, etc.