Rizwan fastest to 3,000 T20I runs as Kohli and Babar follow

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan became the fastest player to reach 3,000 T20 International runs when he achieved the mark in 79 innings at Rawalpindi on April 20, 2024, a milestone that highlights a string of rapid scorers in the shortest format. Former India captain Virat Kohli and Pakistan captain Babar Azam follow closely, each reaching 3,000 in 81 innings, while UAE’s Muhammad Waseem and Australia’s Aaron Finch did so in 84 innings, according to match records and tournament summaries.

Rizwan’s landmark reignites debate over the greatest T20I batter as peers and pundits balance consistency against power hitting. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik recently told cricket media that he would pick Kohli as the finest T20I batter of all time, citing Kohli’s unrivalled consistency and ability to deliver in crunch moments. Kohli, who retired from T20Is in June 2024 after India’s T20 World Cup triumph, amassed 4,188 runs in 117 innings across 125 matches, averaging 48.69 with a strike rate of 137.04, including 38 half-centuries and one century.

Though retired from the format, Kohli’s absence has been felt in ongoing tournaments. Analysts noted he would have...