In the past, cricket was dominated by bowlers, but since the emergence of T20 cricket, the dynamic of the game has taken a U-turn. T20 cricket is one of the most-watched and linked games of the format. Batsmen tend to enjoy the power-hitting game more than ever.
Records just keep breaking one after the other without much fuss. All in all, cricket has become a batter-friendly sport since the emergence of T20 cricket. When we shift the focus to the highest individual score in T20 cricket, our message becomes more precise.
| Player | Score | Opponent | Format | Year | Balls Faced | Fours | Sixes | Strike Rate |
| Chris Gayle | 175* | Pune Warriors | IPL (Domestic) | 2013 | 66 | 13 | 17 | – |
| Aaron Finch | 172 | Zimbabwe | T20I (International) | 2018 | 76 | 16 | 10 | – |
| Hazratullah Zazai | 162* | Ireland | T20I (International) | 2019 | 62 | 16 | 11 | – |
| Dewald Brevis | 162 | Knights | CSA T20 (Domestic) | 2022 | 57 | 13 | 13 | – |
| Adam Lyth | 161 | Northants | Natwest T20 Blast (Domestic) | 2017 | 73 | 20 | 7 | – |
| Brendon McCullum | 158* | RCB | IPL (Domestic) | 2008 | 73 | 13 | 10 | 216.43 |
| Brendon McCullum | 158* | Derbyshire | Natwest T20 Blast (Domestic) | 2015 | 64 | 13 | 11 | 246.87 |
| Aaron Finch | 156 | England | T20I (International) | 2013 | 63 | 11 | 14 | – |
| Glenn Maxwell | 154* | Hurricanes | BBL (Domestic) | 2022 | 64 | 22 | 4 | – |
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Chris Gayle (175* vs Warriors)
The first player on the list of highest individual scores in T20 cricket is Chris Gayle. The Universe Boss and power hitter from the West Indies tore apart the Pune Warriors’ bowling attack.
Royal Challengers Bangalore batted first and scored a mammoth 263 runs. Chris Gayle blasted his way to 175 runs from 66 balls, with 13 fours and 17 sixes. Twelve years to the day, this remains the highest score.
Aaron Finch (172 runs vs Zimbabwe)
The T20 World Cup-winning captain of the Australian cricket team, Aaron Finch, came closer to breaking Chris Gayle’s record but fell short. He scored 172 runs in a T20 international match.
The game between Australia and Zimbabwe took place at Harare, and it was run-galore. Finch opened the batting and made 172 runs from 76 balls, including 16 fours and 10 sixes.
Hamilton Masakadza (162* vs Eagles)
In a match at the Domestic T20 competition in Zimbabwe, Hamilton Masakadza smashed records for fun. His 162* against the Eagles put him on the list of highest individual scores in T20 cricket.
Opening the batting, Hamilton faced 71 balls and scored 162 runs with the help of 14 fours and 11 sixes. The opponent bowlers had no idea when Hamilton smashed runs with a strike rate of 228.
Hazratullah Zazai (162* vs Ireland)
Afghanistan has risen through the ranks in recent times. Their batting, bowling, and major performances in ICC events have been top-notch. Hazratullah Zazai, one of their premier cricketers, set the stage on fire with his performance.
In a T20 match against Ireland in 2019, Zazai was unstoppable with the willow. Facing the experienced Ireland attack, Zazai went on to make 162* runs from 62 balls. Towards the very end, Zazai didn’t get enough strike, so his progress was halted in that score.
Dewald Brevis (162 runs vs Knights)
The cricket world is slowly recognising Dewald Brevis’s potential, but his performances broke the roof way early. In a T20 match played at CSA T20, 2022, he set the stage on fire for the Titans.
Brevis opened the batting and made 162 runs with the bat in hand. Facing only 57 balls, Brevis hit 13 fours and 13 sixes with the bat. Even though opponents had bowers like Pretorius, Coetzee, Kruger, etc, they hardly had answers.
Adam Lyth (161 vs Northants)
One of the underachievers of England cricket, Adam Lyth, also makes it into the list of highest individual scores in T20 cricket. A genuine left-handed batter scored 161 runs against Northants in the 2017 Natwest T20 blast.
Batting first, the southpaw faced 73 balls, scoring 161 runs with the bat in hand. A total of 20 fours and 7 sixes meant that Yorkshire had amassed 260 runs by the end of their 20 overs. Quite an effort.
Brendon McCullum (158* vs RCB)
Just imagine the start of a new tournament and a Kiwi batter demolishes everyone left, right, and center. Brendon McCullum lit up IPL with his swashbuckling innings right from the first game of the tournament.
Struggling to find his timing in the game, McCullum smashed 158* runs from 73 balls with a strike rate of 216.43. Interestingly, RCB had some legends in their bowling lineup, like Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Jacques Kallis, etc., but they had no answer at all.
Brendon McCullum (158* vs Derbyshire)
No, we aren’t repeating the same player and the same score in the list of highest individual scores in T20 cricket. It was Brendon McCullum who repeated the dose with his brilliant batting as he opened the innings.
The game took place at Natwest T20 Blast, and Warwickshire batted first. McCullum, opening the batting, made 158 runs from 64 balls. It was laced with 13 fours and 11 sixes, with a strike rate of 246.87.
Aaron Finch (156 vs England)
One of the dominating cricketers of the white ball format, Aaron Finch, made a name for himself in T20 cricket. Finch was opening the batting for Australia against England in 2013 when he smashed the bowling attack apart.
Facing 63 balls, Finch made 156 runs at the batting-friendly deck of Southampton. 11 fours and 14 sixes equally supported his powerful batting. Australia managed to score 248 runs and win by 39 runs as well.
Glenn Maxwell (154* vs Hurricanes)
Talking about dominating batting, the last batter on the list of highest individual scores in T20 cricket is Glenn Maxwell. Maxwell is either a hit or miss, but on the night of January 19th, 2022, he was a massive hit.
Stars batted first in the game, with captain Maxwell opening the batting. Facing 64 balls, the big show made 154 runs with the bat in hand. 22 fours and 4 sixes made his task easier, and the Stars put on 273 against the Hurricanes to win the match.
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