Jos Buttler has become the first batter to score 15,000 T20 runs. Know how he broke the record and who is closest to joining the elite club
New Delhi: England’s explosive wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler has reached a landmark that no batter had achieved before him in T20 cricket. Buttler completed 15,000 T20 runs during the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Cardiff, becoming the first batter in the world to reach the milestone.
Buttler reached the landmark after scoring 30 runs off 16 balls. He took a single off Sri Lanka pacer Eshan Malinga to complete the historic 15,000-run mark. His innings included four fours and a six. Although Dushmantha Chameera dismissed him soon after, Buttler had already entered the record books.
Buttler Moves Past Kieron Pollard
Buttler’s milestone also pushed him past West Indies great Kieron Pollard on the list of T20 run-scorers. Pollard had stood just one run away from the 15,000-run mark, with 14,999 runs to his name.
Buttler reached the landmark in his 528th T20 match. He has scored nine centuries and 107 fifties during his T20 career. His strike rate of around 147 also underlines the aggressive approach that has defined his career in the shortest format.
Buttler has built his huge T20 tally across international cricket and franchise leagues around the world. He has represented England and played in major competitions, including the Indian Premier League and several other prominent T20 leagues.
Pollard Misses Out by Just One Run
Pollard came remarkably close to becoming the first player to score 15,000 T20 runs. However, Buttler reached the landmark first.
The gap between the two batters could hardly have been smaller. Pollard stopped at 14,999 runs, while Buttler moved beyond the mark during England’s chase against Sri Lanka.
Buttler’s achievement now raises another question: who will become the next batter to join the 15,000-run club?
Alex Hales Stands Closest Among Active Batters
England’s Alex Hales currently sits closest to Buttler among the leading active T20 run-scorers. Hales has scored 14,581 T20 runs, leaving him 419 runs short of the 15,000 mark.
Hales has played 537 T20 matches and has seven centuries and 93 fifties to his name. His extensive experience in franchise cricket has helped him build one of the biggest T20 run tallies in the game.
Chris Gayle follows Hales on the overall list with 14,562 runs, just 438 short of 15,000. However, Gayle no longer plays active professional cricket, which means he will not add to his tally.
Warner and Kohli Also in the 15,000-Run Race
Australia’s David Warner has accumulated 14,284 T20 runs and needs another 716 runs to reach 15,000.
India’s Virat Kohli has scored 14,218 T20 runs, putting him 782 runs away from the landmark.
James Vince has 14,081 runs, while former Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has 13,571 runs. South Africa’s Quinton de Kock also remains among the leading T20 run-scorers.
Batters Closest to 15,000 T20 Runs
- Batter T20 Runs Runs Needed for 15,000
- Jos Buttler 15,000 Milestone reached
- Kieron Pollard 14,999 1
- Alex Hales 14,581 419
- Chris Gayle 14,562 438*
- David Warner 14,284 716
- Virat Kohli 14,218 782
- James Vince 14,081 919
- Shoaib Malik 13,571 1,429
Chris Gayle no longer plays active professional T20 cricket.
England Seal Series with Buttler Making History
Buttler’s record came on a memorable night for England, as the hosts also secured the T20I series against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka scored 145/9 after batting first. England chased down the target in just 12.1 overs, losing four wickets in the process. Tom Banton led the chase with an unbeaten 52 off 24 balls, while Buttler contributed 30 off 16 deliveries.
England’s six-wicket victory gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
For Buttler, however, the victory carried an additional significance. His 30-run cameo took him past one of T20 cricket’s biggest statistical barriers.
The 15,000-run club now has its first member, and Buttler has set the benchmark for the next generation of T20 batters. Alex Hales, David Warner and Virat Kohli remain among the established names within striking distance, while Pollard’s near miss shows just how difficult it has been to reach the landmark.
Buttler has now turned a number into a piece of T20 history 15,000 runs, one batter, and a record that no one had reached before him.
