To be successful in cricket’s shortest format, one must have great perseverance and have a fearless approach. For batsmen in particular, T20 cricket gives them very less time to make an effective impact. Strike rates are certainly one of the biggest factors that makes a Batsman fearsome and successful in this format. Nowadays, scoring 30 runs off 10 balls significantly impacts the momentum of the game more than a 70 off 50.
This goes on to show much has T20 cricket evolved since the first time it was played. Today, Sportscraazy will be shedding light on the list of the most fearsome batsmen having the highest strike rate in the history of ICC T20 World Cups.
1.Darren Sammy – The former West Indies captain led his national side towards ICC T20 world cup glory twice in 2012 and 2016 – making him the most successful captain of the mega T20 tournament. Other than this record on his head, Darren Sammy also tops the list of Batters with the highest strike rate in T20 world cups. His uncanny batting technique and out of the box cricketing shots using his enormous power helped him generate a strike rate of 164.12 in 25 World cup matches with an average of 17.91.
2.Shahid Afridi – Cricketing Fans will always remember Shahid Afridi as one of the hard hitters in white ball cricket. The two time T20 world cup finalist was the man of the match in the finals of 2009 T20 World cup where Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka to become the world champions. Afridi played in 34 T20 world cup matches from 2007 to 2016 scoring 546 runs on the way with a strike rate of 154.23, which is the second highest by any batsman in World cups. Moreover, the Pakistani legend also has 39 wickets to his name – making him the 2nd most successful bowler in the T20 World cups.
3.KL Rahul – The stylish Indian opener is the only Indian Batsman included in this list. Rahul made his first T20 world cup appearance only last year and finished the tournament as India’s highest run getter with 194 runs by playing 5 matches. The 30-year-old has proved to be very effective for India during the power plays and strikes the ball very cleanly. This will be his second ICC World T20 campaign and he will look forward to better his strike rate of 152.75, which is the third highest strike rate by any batsman in T20 world cups.
4.Imran Nazir – The former opener is the second Pakistani to feature in this list. With a strike rate of 150, Imran Nazir has the 4th highest strike rate in T20 World cups. The right-handed batter was known for his aggression and explosive batting style. One of the highlights of his T20 career was his unbeaten 160 against Zimbabwe.
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5.Kevin Pietersen – The former Englishman during his time as a cricketer was regarded as one of the most dangerous T20 batsman containing a wide range of shots. The 6ft 4in batter was one of the main pillars behind team England’s success during the ICC T20 World cup in 2010 as he was awarded as the Man of the tournament. The 2010 edition of the T20 world cup turned out to be his last as well. Pietersen scored 580 runs in 15 innings with a strike rate of 148.33 and despite playing in just three world cups he has the 5th highest strike rate in the history of the tournament.
6. Charith Asalanka – The Sri Lankan all-rounder has only participated in one ICC T20 world cup, but he is already listed among the batsmen with the highest strike rates. Asalanka maintained a strike rate of 147.13 in 6 innings during last year’s World T20 campaign scoring 231 runs on the way.
7. Joe Root – At a very young age, Joe Root made a name for himself in world cricket because of his efficiency and reliability in the middle. The Englishman’s inclusion in the list of Batters with highest strike rate in T20 world cups might come as a surprise to some, given his batting style and approach. He was a part of the English squad that went all the way to the finals of the 2016 T20 world cup. In 6 innings for the three lions, Root scored 249 runs with a strike rate of 146.47, which is the 7th highest strike by any batsmen.
8. Mathew Hayden – Famously known as “Haydos”, the former Australian great was once regarded as one of the solid openers of his generation. His hard hitting ability at that point of time was second to none. The 2-time 50 over World cup winner could hit the ball really hard and he has the 8th highest strike rate in the shortest format of the game. The 2007 T20 World cup in South Africa was Mathew Hayden’s first and last T20 world cup campaign in which he finished as the highest run scorer by scoring 265 runs and maintained an overall strike rate of 144.8.
9. Jos Buttler – England’s new white ball captain Jos Butler has the 9th highest strike rate in T20 World Cups. The 32-year-old has played in 2 T20 World cups scoring 574 runs with a strike rate of 144.58. Butler is also one of the most dangerous batsmen to look for during next month’s T20 world cup in Australia and he will be aiming to take his strike rate even higher.
10. Jason Roy – The fierce England opener has herculean power in his hands and strikes every ball with an intention to put it across the boundary. Roy is one of the most explosive batsmen in world cricket at the moment. Much like his countrymen Butler and Root, Jason Roy was a part of the English team that reached the 2016 T20 world cup final but failed to win it. He has a strike rate of 144.33 in 11 T20 world cup innings.
Also Read: Most Dangerous Bowlers To Look Out For In ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022
