Best Openers in T20I
For a side batting in T20 cricket, the powerplay overs are the most important overs as it sets the tone for the rest of the innings. Therefore, openers play a very important role in T20 cricket. The openers set the foundation for a big total and help their side give a strong start in the first six overs. T20 cricket has been home to a lot of world-class openers. However, there are some who are consistently piling on runs and that too with a healthy strike rate.
On that note, we look at the 5 best openers in T20 Cricket:
#5 Aaron Finch
Australia’s limited over’s skipper, Aaron Finch is ideally suited to play T20 cricket. He has the ability to score aggressively, be it against any bowling line up. On his day, he can rip apart a bowling attack with utter disdain. Finch has been a regular opener for Australia in T20 cricket and has been piling on runs consistently for a very long time now. In the list of best openers in T20 cricket, Finch finds himself at fifth position with 2114 runs in 64 innings at an average of 38.43.
He has two centuries and 12 half-centuries to his name in T20 cricket.
#4 Paul Stirling
A vital cog in Ireland’s limited over’s side, Paul Stirling has often exhibited his power-hitting skills in T20 cricket. Stirling is currently the fourth-best opener in T20 cricket with 2124 runs to his name in 78 matches at an average of 29.91. He has hit 18 half-centuries and nine centuries in his T20 career so far.
#3 David Warner
There is a reason why he is the only player to have made international debut for Australia without playing a single first-class game. Warner had the skills to represent the Australian team at a very young age and the Australian Cricket realised that pretty early.
Warner, today, has become a lethal force in world cricket. He has helped Australia win countless games through his belligerent hitting at the top of the order. He finds himself at the third spot in the list of 5 best openers in T20 cricket.
David Warner has scored 2265 runs in 81 innings at an average and strike rate of 31.45 and 139.72.
#2 Martin Guptill
He was the scorer in chief for New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup. He has the ability to turn around the game in a matter of a few overs. With the ability to hit huge sixes and find gaps easily, Martin Guptill has become a household name in T20 Cricket. He has scored the most number of runs for New Zealand in T20 cricket and is the second-best opener in the shortest format in terms of the number of runs scored.
In 85 innings, Guptill has scored 2536 runs at an average of 32.51. Besides, he has 15 half-centuries and 2 centuries to his name in T20 cricket.
#1 Rohit Sharma
Unarguably, Rohit Sharma is the best opener in T20 cricket at the moment. With a wide array of shots under his sleeves, Sharma has the game to excel in all conditions. India’s limited over’s vice-captain has scored runs heavily in the sub-continent as well as overseas.
Sharma isn’t someone who would play cameos at the top. The oppositions are aware that once he gets set he makes sure he produce a big knock and put the opposition on the backfoot.
Rohit Sharma, in his illustrious T20 career, has scored 2773 runs so far at an average of 50.80 and strike rate of 138.24.
