Nicholas Pooran sets new T20 record, surpassing Mohammad Rizwan

West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran has made history by breaking the world record for the most runs scored in T20 cricket within a single calendar year. Pooran surpassed the previous record set by Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan during a match in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024.

A Stellar Year for Pooran

Pooran has emerged as one of the top T20 batters globally, excelling in both the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Lucknow Super Giants and internationally for the West Indies. In the CPL 2024 season, representing the Trinbago Knight Riders, Pooran has accumulated 312 runs in 9 innings, with an average of 39.00 and a blistering strike rate of 175.28, including two half-centuries and a top score of 97 runs.

Currently, Pooran leads the charts for the most T20 runs in 2024. Trailing him is South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks with 1,555 runs in 47 innings, followed by Pakistan’s Babar Azam, who has scored 1,480 runs in 35 innings. Australia’s Travis Head ranks fourth with 1,442 runs in 39 innings.

Pooran Surpasses Rizwan’s T20 Record

During a recent CPL match, Pooran scored 27 runs off 15 balls against the Barbados Royals, taking his tally to 2,059 runs in 65 innings at an average of over 42. Although he has not scored a century in 2024, his consistency is evident with 14 half-centuries, including several scores in the 90s.

Rizwan previously held the record, amassing 2,036 runs in 45 innings in 2021 at an impressive average of 56.66, which included one century and 18 half-centuries. England’s Alex Hales and Jos Buttler follow with 1,946 and 1,833 runs, respectively, in third and fourth place for most T20 runs in a calendar year. Rizwan also holds the fifth position with 1,817 runs in 2022.

Indian T20 Records in a Calendar Year

India’s highest tally in a calendar year belongs to Virat Kohli, who scored 1,614 runs in 31 matches in 2016. Suryakumar Yadav also made a significant impact in recent years, scoring 1,503 runs in 41 T20 matches in 2022 and 1,338 runs in 34 matches in 2023.

Most T20 Runs in a Single Calendar Year

Pooran Sets Six-Hitting Record

Adding to his remarkable year, Pooran became the first player to hit 150 sixes in a single calendar year during a CPL match against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. He surpassed the previous record held by Chris Gayle, who struck 135 sixes in 2015.

Most Sixes in a Calendar Year in T20s

Pooran’s exceptional form with both the bat and his six-hitting prowess has established him as the most dominant T20 batter of 2024, setting records and achieving milestones that place him at the top of the global T20 scene.