Mumbai: Nicholas Pooran, the West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman, has broken the world record for the most runs scored in a calendar year in T20 cricket, overtaking Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan.
With a 15-ball 27 for the Trinbago Knight Riders against the Barbados Royals in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Pooran’s run total reached 2,059, surpassing Rizwan’s 2021 record of 2,036 runs.
Throughout 2024, Pooran has been in exceptional form, achieving this milestone while playing for various teams, including the Durban Super Giants, Lucknow Super Giants, MI Emirates, MI New York, Northern Super Chargers, Rangpur Riders, and the West Indies. His T20 run total includes performances in T20 Internationals (T20Is), franchise leagues, and domestic T20 competitions.
Rizwan previously set his record in 2021, scoring 2,036 runs in 45 innings with an impressive average of 56.66, which included one century and 18 half-centuries. Pooran has exceeded this total in 65 innings, maintaining an average of over 42. Although he hasn’t scored a century in 2024, he has hit 14 half-centuries, with several scores just shy of 100.
Both players are of exceptional calibre, but Pooran’s striking rate is particularly noteworthy. His 2024 strike rate of 160.63 significantly exceeds Rizwan’s 132.03. This achievement marks the third occasion Pooran has scored over 1,000 runs in T20s, having previously done so in 2019 and 2023.
Most Runs in a Calender in T20 Cricket:
Nicholas Pooran (WI, DSG, NOS, LSG, TKR, MIE, MINY, RR) – 2,059 runs in 65 innings (2024)
Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, MS, PAK) – 2,036 runs in 45 innings (2021)
Alex Hales (ENG, IU, Notts, THU, TRT) – 1,946 runs in 61 innings (2022)
Jos Buttler (ENG, Lancs, MNO, PR, RR) – 1,833 runs in 55 innings (2023)
Mohammad Rizwan (Sussex, MS, PAK) – 1,817 runs in 44 innings (2022)
As Pooran established the record, his team, the Trinbago Knight Riders, clinched a 30-run victory against the Barbados Royals at Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad. Pooran has amassed 312 runs across nine innings in the CPL 2024, boasting an average of 39 and a striking strike rate of 175.28.
In the year 2024, Pooran leads the pack with the highest number of T20 runs. Reeza Hendricks of South Africa is in second place with 1,555 runs from 47 innings, followed by Pakistan’s Babar Azam with 1,480 runs from 35 innings. Close behind is Australian opener Travis Head, with 1,442 runs from 39 innings.
