Virat Kohli maintains T20I ascendancy to finish as highest run-scorer in two World Cups

Virat Kohli was undoubtedly the biggest positive for India during the campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, which concluded with a semi-final exit. Despite India not bagging the T20 World Cup trophy, Kohli remained a sensation throughout the tournament and finished as the highest run-scorer with 296 runs in six innings. His tally consisted of four half-centuries, including the memorable match winning 82* off 53 against Pakistan.

Courtesy of his form in the latest edition of the T20 World Cup, Kohli became the first player in history to score the most runs in multiple T20 World Cups. Prior to 2022, Kohli finished the tournament as the highest run-scorer for the team during the 2014 T20 World Cup. He had hit a grand total of 319 runs in six innings, with the help of four half-centuries, as India finished as the runner-up to Sri Lanka. 

Despite the milestone coming after a gap of eight years, Kohli seems to have bettered his performance from his younger self. While the then 26-year-old had batted at an average of 106.33 and a strike rate of 129.14 in 2014, he amassed the most amount of runs in the 2022 edition of the T20 WC at an average of 98.66 and strike rate of 136.40.

Virat Kohli holds another major record in T20 World Cup history

Interestingly, the former India captain is now also the highest overall run scorer in the T20 World Cup history. Surpassing legends like Mahela Jayawardene and Chris Gayle with his stellar run of form in the T20 WC 2022, Kohli became the highest run scorer in the T20 World Cups with 1141 runs in 27 games. While he has the highest score of 89* in an innings, he has an average of 81.50 and a strike rate of 131.30, and has amassed 14 fifties in total at the marquee event.

Virat Kohli's stellar T20I form for India in 2022

Meanwhile, the 34-year-old was recently announced by ICC as the player of the month for October, courtesy of his tally of 205 runs in the month. Moreover, Kohli has been in sensational form ever since he returned to the Indian outfit in late August after a month-long mental health break. In 2022, Kohli is the third-highest overall run scorer in the shortest format of the game.

This year, Kohli has hit 781 runs in 20 games at an average of 45.27 and strike rate of 122.96. In the process, Kohli has hit eight half-centuries in total, which also amassing his 71st international and first-ever T20I century in the Asia Cup 2022. Kohli’s 122* against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup was the first century by the iconic cricketer in around three years for India.