Fastest to 2,000 runs in T20Is – India and Pakistan big-ticket players dominate top 9

Jonhenry Wilson 28 Jul 2025

India's Suryakumar Yadav is among the fastest to reach 2,000 runs in T20Is.

Forty-one batters have scored more than 2000 runs in T20 Internationals.

However, which one has reached the milestone the fastest?

We have listed the top seven cricketers to go over that landmark in the fewest innings:

1. Babar Azam

52 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
Pakistan

Things came together for Babar Azam when Pakistan went up against Zimbabwe in April 2021. First, he won the toss.

The track looked like a good batting surface, and so he elected to bat first. Mohammad Rizwan and Sharjeel Khan gave Pakistan a steady start with a 35-run opening partnership that lasted for five overs.

Azam joined Rizwan in the middle and they stitched a 126-run second-wicket partnership in 87 balls. The Pakistan keeper played second fiddle to Rizwan’s fluent strokeplay as the opener raced to an unbeaten 60-ball 91. Azam scored 52 from 46 deliveries.

It was his 18th T20 half-century, and the milestone catapulted him over the 2000-run mark. It also helped Pakistan secure a victory over Zimbabwe.

2. Mohammad Rizwan

52 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
Pakistan

Rizwan scored his 17th T20I half-century in September 2022. The opener stood head and shoulders above the rest of the Pakistan side as they wilted under England’s bowling assault. The wicketkeeper sustained an excellent strike rate as he raced to a 46-ball 68 to help Pakistan score 158/7.

Unfortunately for Rizwan and Pakistan, the half-century was not enough to help them register an unassailable total. However, it was enough to see him past the 2000-run mark. The milestone came seven years after his T20I debut.

3. Muhammad Waseem

54 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
United Arab Emirates

Waseem is the most prolific run-scorer for UAE in T20Is. The opener is the only UAE player with more than 2000 runs in T20Is, and he has done so at an outstanding strike rate of 155.58. He has three centuries and 22 half-centuries to his name.

Waseem scored his 15th half-century, an unbeaten 89 against Namibia, in September 2024.

The UAE captain shared a 130-run opening stand with Alishan Sharafu, followed it up with a 53-run second-wicket stand with Ali Khan, before seeing UAE to a match-winning 245/2 through an unbroken 62-run third-wicket partnership with Basil Hameed.

The half-century helped him fly past the 2000-run mark.

Also read: The fastest to 7,000 Test runs – which Australian is in a league of his own?

4. Virat Kohli

56 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
India

Few batters mastered the art of the chase in the way that Virat Kohli did.

The Indian star is an expert at chasing down totals, and his understanding of what each chase requires means that he knows how to tailor roles for each chase. In July 2018, Kohli chose to be the cushion as India clinically chased down the target England had set for them.

India needed a mere 33 runs when he arrived at the crease. KL Rahul was scything England’s bowlers left, right, and centre, so Kohli settled for a strike rate below 100. He scored 20 runs from 22 balls as KL Rahul cruised to an unbeaten 101 from 54 balls.

While not a landmark score, Kohli’s unbeaten 20 saw him pass the 2000-run mark.

5. Suryakumar Yadav

56 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
India

Suryakumar Yadav doesn’t often bat in the powerplay, and December 2023 was one of the few times he was required to do so. India was in trouble after losing two wickets for nine runs in two overs.

Suryakumar didn’t need time to settle in and immediately put pressure on the bowlers. He struck a boundary off the third ball he faced. He carved 14 runs off the first balls he faced. He finished his innings with a brilliant 56 from 36 balls and shared a great 70-run fourth-wicket partnership with Rinku Singh.

Unfortunately, the 180-run total he launched India to was not enough to secure victory. However, his half-century was enough to see him past the 2000-run mark.

6. KL Rahul

58 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
India

KL Rahul is one of the most versatile batters India has had. The right-hander bats anywhere in the top four, and India has not been shy to bat him in all top four slots depending on their needs. In September 2022, they needed an opener, so Rahul opened.

Rahul stayed at the crease for 11.5 overs, during which time he carved a 35-ball 55 as he built a platform for India to launch to 208/6. Unfortunately for India, Australia had enough firepower in their lineup to chase down the imposing total with four balls to spare.

The 55 was Rahul’s 18th T20I half-century, and it helped him breeze past the 2000-run mark.

7. Aaron Finch

62 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
Australia

Australia did everything right, and then the wheels came off in the final nine overs. Finch won the toss, elected to bowl first, and restricted England to 162/7. Finch and David Warner gave Australia the best start they could ask for, piling on 98 runs in 11 overs.

Unfortunately, the rest of the batting lineup couldn’t get 64 runs from 54 balls, and Australia succumbed to a two-run loss. Finch scored a 32-ball 46 in the match, and while it wasn’t a milestone or a match-winning tally, it was enough to rocket him past the 2000-run mark.

8. Virandeep Singh

64 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
Malaysia

Virandeep has batted everywhere from one to six in Malaysia’s batting lineup, and he has done well in almost all positions. He has half-centuries in positions one to five, and he scored a 17-run 21 in his lone appearance at number six.

Virandeep has 19 half-centuries, and he reached his 13th 50 in October 2023 against Oman. Malaysia was floundering on 21/3 when he walked in to bat.

The versatile batter scored a 53-ball 57 while wickets fell around him. Malaysia crumbled for 121/8, an insufficient total to overcome the 154-run target set for them by Oman.

The half-century saw Virandeep pass 2000 runs in T20Is.

9. Martin Guptill

58 innings to 2,000 T20I runs
New Zealand

Only one New Zealand batter has more than 3000 runs in T20Is: Martin Guptill. The opener also boasts the most half-centuries for New Zealand in T20Is with 20, and one of those 50s came in January 2018 against Pakistan.

Guptill fought a lone battle, racing to 59 off 43 balls, as he tried to lead New Zealand to victory.

However, he had little support. Kane Williamson and Anaru Kitchen chewed up many balls in the first 12 overs and scored at strike rates below 100, which put New Zealand on the back foot.

While it didn’t help his side to victory, Guptill’s knock saw him past the 2000-run mark.