The 2025 T20 Blast starts soon – who will top Tom Banton and Sam Hains’ 2024 campaign, if anyone?
It’s just over a week until blast off, with English counties fighting for domestic T20 glory and a ticket to Finals Day at Edgbaston.
The 2025 Vitality Blast will begin on May 29th, with Middlesex hosting Sussex in the first of 133 group stage matches in England‘s premier T20 competition.
Defending champions, Gloucestershire, will then get their campaign underway the following day as they look to protect their crown and add to their solo T20 Blast title.
2024 was a Blast filled with action-packed scoring and high-octane batting.
Let’s take a look at the 7 batters who led the way in the Vitality T20 Blast last year.
7. Matthew Breetzke – 460 T20 Blast runs
Breetzke made a significant statement in his maiden T20 Blast campaign for Northants with his 460 runs coming from 13 innings at an admirable average of 38.33.
The ten-time South Africa T20 international brought the consistency and composure that Northants needed, adding four fifties and a best knock of 94, becoming a bedrock for the side.
6. Miles Hammond – 487 T20 Blast runs
The top order for Gloucestershire was simply sensational, and it’s no surprise their combination of Hammond and Cameron Bancroft helped bring home a first-ever T20 Blast title.
Hammond provided much-needed dominance and repeated starts at the top of the order that defined their campaign. He averaged 32.46 over the competition and was effective in rotating the strike and building a strong foundation for his side.
5. Tom Banton – 515 T20 Blast runs
Banton rediscovered his world-class T20 form that has earned him franchise contracts around the world and was in devastating nick for Somerset in 2024.
He hung around more often than not, not out on three occasions with a mightily impressive average of 46.81 over just 14 innings, reflecting his ambition and ability to take on bowlers from ball one.
4. Cameron Bancroft – 534 T20 Blast runs
Bancroft’s redemption story at the defending champions, Gloucestershire, has been a fantastic result for all parties. His performances have been supplemented by incredible leadership as he averaged 33.37 for the side last year.
Though he only hit two half-centuries in 2024, his and Hammond’s knack for getting their side off to flying starts in Bristol made them invaluable in top-order solidity.
3. Michael Pepper – 535 T20 Blast runs
The T20 Blast is where Pepper has come into his own with two thrilling centuries and a staggering strike rate of 193.84 for Essex in 2024.
He averaged 44.58 last year, smashing 32 sixes along the way – a boundary machine and frequent match winner for Essex. Despite only two fifties, his impact on the side has been pivotal and game-changing on numerous occasions.
2. Sam Hain – 569 T20 Blast runs
When the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston is bouncing, Hain is at his best for the Birmingham Bears.
His consistency was utterly remarkable, with his 569 runs coming at an average of 63.22 in a competition display of individual brilliance. He racked up six fifties in just 13 innings and registered not-out scores on four occasions.
1. Daniel Hughes – 596 T20 Blast runs
The Australia veteran and T20 specialist was the standout batter of the 2024 T20 Blast, topping the run charts with 596 runs at an average of 39.73 in 16 innings.
Sussex’s three-format performer hit five half-centuries, featuring an unbeaten score of 96, hitting 76 fours and 25 sixes in a memorable campaign at Hove.
Read next: Did Chris Gayle get named in this West Indies’ best Test XI of the past 40 years?