Legendary West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle has hit the most runs in powerplays in T20s. The ‘Universe Boss’ has scored 4,345 runs in 270 innings, at a strike rate of 128.58.
Most runs in powerplays in T20s
| Player | Innings | Runs | Strike rate |
| Chris Gayle | 270 | 4,345 | 128.58 |
| Alex Hales | 244 | 4,259 | 150.44 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 255 | 4,021 | 123.19 |
| Aaron Finch | 248 | 3,931 | 134.11 |
| David Warner | 216 | 3,823 | 134.51 |
| Jason Roy | 194 | 3,542 | 140.55 |
| Brendon McCullum | 207 | 3,033 | 128.95 |
| Rohit Sharma | 216 | 2,962 | 125.45 |
| James Vince | 189 | 2,801 | 132.24 |
| Paul Stirling | 139 | 2,741 | 152.61 |
The 42-year-old, who has the most runs in T20 cricket (14,562) and the highest individual score in T20s (175* against Pune, 2013 Indian T20 League), has played in every major T20 league around the world. He also frequently scored the most T20 runs in a calendar year over the course of his career.
Most runs in powerplays in a T20 innings
| Player | Opponent | Runs | Year |
| Suresh Raina | Punjab | 87 | 2014 |
| Alex Hales | Durham | 76 | 2017 |
| Evin Lewis | St Kitts and Nevis Patriots | 76 | 2017 |
| Adam Gilchrist | Delhi | 74 | 2009 |
| Tom Cohler-Cadmore | Durham | 71 | 2016 |
Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina scored the most runs in powerplays in a T20 innings. The former Chennai star hit 12 fours and six sixes as he smashed 87 runs between overs 1 to 6 against Team Punjab in a 2014 Indian T20 League encounter at the Wankhede Stadium.
Most runs in powerplays in Indian T20 League
| Player | Innings | Runs | Strike rate |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 184 | 2,915 | 122.63 |
| David Warner | 141 | 2,654 | 136.10 |
| Chris Gayle | 135 | 2,336 | 134.17 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 146 | 2,230 | 121.65 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 132 | 1,957 | 115.93 |
India opener Shikhar Dhawan, meanwhile, has the most runs in powerplays in the Indian T20 League. The left-hander has amassed 2,915 runs in 184 innings at a strike rate of 122.63. His tally comprises 388 boundaries and 63 sixes.
Most runs in powerplays in T20Is
| Player | Innings | Runs | Strike rate |
| Rohit Sharma | 87 | 1,530 | 135.39 |
| Martin Guptill | 77 | 1,422 | 129.74 |
| Aaron Finch | 80 | 1,376 | 138.56 |
| Quinton de Kock | 60 | 1,160 | 141.80 |
| Jason Roy | 58 | 1,053 | 141.53 |
When it comes to T20 Internationals, Rohit Sharma leads the list. The new Indian cricket team captain, who is the highest run-getter in T20Is, has hit 1,530 powerplay runs in 87 innings at a strike rate of 135.39. His best performance came in a 2020 New Zealand vs India T20I game at Hamilton, where Rohit hit 50 runs off 23 balls.
Most runs in powerplays in T20 World Cup
| Player | Innings | Runs | Strike rate |
| Martin Guptill | 19 | 329 | 114.23 |
| Rohit Sharma | 17 | 307 | 132.90 |
| David Warner | 19 | 301 | 125.41 |
| Mohammad Shahzad | 17 | 257 | 114.22 |
| Hashim Amla | 13 | 237 | 140.23 |
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill is the record holder for most runs in powerplays in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The 35-year-old, who was among the top 10 run-getters in the 2021 edition of the tournament with 208 runs, has hit 329 powerplay runs in 19 innings at a strike rate of 114.23.
Author: William Paul
Featured photo: AFP / INDRANIL MUKHERJEE
