Did Jos Buttler Just Make T20I History by Being the First Wicket-Keeper Batter to Achieve 4,000 Runs?
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Kolkata, Feb 14 (NationPress) In a remarkable feat, England's Jos Buttler has etched his name in cricket history as the first wicket-keeper batter and the fastest player globally to accumulate 4,000 runs in T20 Internationals based on the number of balls faced. He achieved this monumental milestone in just 2,670 deliveries, surpassing the previous record held by Rohit Sharma.
This achievement came during the Group C match against Scotland in the ICC T20 Men's World Cup 2026, which took place in Kolkata. Buttler entered the match needing only three runs to reach 4,000, and he accomplished this on the fourth ball of the second over while pursuing a target of 153 runs. This match also marked Buttler's 150th T20I appearance for England, making him the only English cricketer and one of just five players worldwide to have played 150 or more T20Is.
Unfortunately, his innings was cut short as he scored only three runs from four balls, getting caught by McMullen off Currie's bowling in the second over of the chase.
Buttler is now the fourth player overall to reach 4,000 runs in T20I, becoming the first Englishman to do so. The other players who have achieved this milestone are Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Babar Azam. Kohli was the first to reach this landmark, achieving it on November 10, 2022, during the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2022 against England at the Adelaide Oval.
Making his T20I debut against India in 2011, Buttler has amassed over 4,000 runs with an impressive average exceeding 35 and a strike rate of 148. His remarkable record includes 28 half-centuries and one century, with a highest score of 101. Notably, he is the only wicketkeeper in the history of T20I cricket to surpass the 4,000-run mark.
As a former captain of England, Buttler is the leading run-scorer for his country in T20Is, significantly ahead of Eoin Morgan, who has 2,458 runs from 115 matches. He is one of the finest players in the international shortest format and enjoys immense popularity in T20 franchises worldwide.