Abhishek Sharma’s streak of good fortune is getting even better every day. The young Indian batter played brilliantly and at the Gabba during the AUS vs IND fifth T20 International (T20I), he accomplished another great feat by becoming the player who reached 1000 runs in T20Is the fastest in terms of balls faced among Full Member countries.
The left-hander accomplished this great feat in just his 29th innings, consuming only 528 balls to complete the thousand runs. For a player who made his T20I debut in July 2024, Such a rapid rise is indeed unbelievable. Abhishek achieved this milestone with a boundary-studded knock against Australia when he moved beyond 11 runs and made his entry into the record books just in seven balls.
He not only gained but even surpassed some big names to be on the top of the list. Let’s have a look at the top four fastest to reach 1000 runs in T20Is (by balls faced) among Full Member nations.
Fastest To 1000 Runs in T20I Cricket
4. Glenn Maxwell: 604 balls
The Australian genius, Glenn Maxwell, has been changing the face of T20 batting for more than ten years. His unique style and daring shot selection have made him a nightmare for bowlers all over the world. The “Big Show” scored 1000 runs in just 604 balls. No matter whether it’s scoops over fine leg or switch hits into the stands, Maxwell has made T20 batting look like street cricket with finesse and style.
Since his introduction to the game in 2012, he has been the savior for his team on many occasions, accumulating more than 2800 runs in 126 T20Is at a strike rate of over 155. His five T20I centuries are a witness to his power and skill to swiftly alter the course of the game during the innings of a few overs.
3. Phil Salt: 599 balls
The performance of England’s Phil Salt in the shortest format has been nothing less than electrifying. The right-handed batsman swings with the batter’s intent of a man who is late for a flight from the very first ball. His aggressive approach has been England’s T20 brand of fearlessness at its forefront. Salt raced to 1000 runs in just 599 balls.
Since then, he has scored 1540 runs in 50 T20Is with a strike rate of almost 170, consisting of 4 hundreds and 7 fifties, Sundal has been on destructive mode all the time He has been a great starting batsman for the team by being a great batsman that with time they have built up so far.
2. Suryakumar Yadav: 573 balls
T20 cricket’s modern-day master India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, comes second. Not at all surprising for the one who has changed shot-making, the first thousand runs of SKY have been scored in only 573 ball. His ability to hit sixes and fours all over the ground makes it so difficult to set fields for him.
Since he started his international career in 2021, Suryakumar has been a mainstay in India’s T20 squad, scoring more than 2754 runs in 95 T20Is which is above 160. His extraordinary batting makes him one of the most attractive players to watch in world cricket. For a player who started his international career at 31, his development has been nothing less than phenomenal.
1. Abhishek Sharma: 528 balls
Now, the new record-holder. Abhishek Sharma has been the shining star of T20 cricket with his dazzling batting since his inauguration. The left-handed batsman completed 1000 T20I runs in the shortest time ever in terms of balls faced, an astonishing 528 deliveries. To add more to his credit, he has opened in powerplays, confronted the best new-ball bowlers and still kept a strike rate close to 190.
Abhishek’s ascent has been nothing short of amazing with two centuries and six fifties in only 28 innings. His 135 against England earlier this year was a statement that he is not only a hitter but also a game-changer. Collected mind, rapid hands and no fear, that is Abhishek Sharma’s T20 formula. If he continues like this, Indian cricket might just have its next superstar already recognized.
