5 batters who scored the most T20I runs in 2021

The last T20I match of the year took place between USA and Ireland on December 24, where the Irish team prevailed by nine runs.

2021 was undoubtedly the year of T20 cricket. Because of the T20 World Cup, all nations focused more on the shortest format of the game.

Pakistan not only played the most T20Is (29) in 2021, but they also registered the most wins (20) by any country in this format this year.

India played 16 T20Is, recording 10 wins and six losses. As far as win percentage is concerned, Isle of Man and Portugal won all the T20Is they played in 2021. Among the Test-playing nations, Pakistan topped the list with a win percentage of 76.92.

With batters dominating the T20I arena in 2021, here's a look at the top five batters who scored the most runs in the format this year.

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#5 Jos Buttler, England - 589 T20I runs

Jos Buttler was the top-scorer for England

Jos Buttler was the most successful batter from the England team in the shortest format this year. The wicket-keeper batter played 14 matches, scoring 589 runs at a strike rate of 143.30.

Buttler, who had a magnificent batting average of 65.44, registered his best score of 101* against Sri Lanka during the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE.

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#4 Mitchell Marsh, Australia - 627 T20I runs

Mitchell Marsh was the best batter for Australia

Mitchell Marsh ruled the T20I arena in 2021 by scoring 627 runs in 20 innings. He was a mainstay in the Australian top-order this year and starred for the team in their T20 World Cup 2021 triumph.

Marsh, whose strike rate was close to 130 this year, recorded six half-centuries and just one duck for his nation.

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#3 Martin Guptill, New Zealand - 678 T20I runs

Martin Guptill mastered the art of run-scoring in T20Is this year

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill played a huge role in his team's success in the shortest format of the game this year.

The right-handed batter aggregated 678 runs in 18 matches at an average of 37.66 and a strike rate of more than 145. Guptill smacked 53 fours and 41 sixes in addition to registering five fifties this year.

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#2 Babar Azam, Pakistan - 939 T20I runs

Pakistan captain Babar Azam was the top-scorer in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. He ended the year as the second-highest run-scorer in the shortest format of the game with 939 runs in 26 innings.

Azam, who scored a century and nine fifties in the T20I format this year, had a strike rate of 127.58, while his average was 37.56.

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#1 Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan - 1,326 T20I runs

Mohammad Rizwan dominated all bowlers in T20I cricket this year. The wicket-keeper batter broke the all-time record for the most T20I runs in a year by scoring 1,326 runs in 26 innings at a strike rate of 134.89.

Rizwan played several match-winning knocks for the Pakistan team. He scored a century and 12 fifties while batting at an average of 73.66 in T20Is this year.