5 Highest Individual Scores In T20 World Cup History

Chris Gayle (L) and Rilee Rossouw (R) (Source: AFP) 

Though T20 Cricket is known for the aggressive batting, big totals and achieving batting milestones, one can not deny the pressure a player feels in the T20 World Cup. Playing a big knock at the highest level of the game’s shortest format is no less than a big achievement. 

There have been some batting maestros in the history of the T20 World Cup who have played some iconic knocks across different editions. Therefore, here, in this article, we’ll have a look at the five highest individual scores in the T20 World Cup history. 

5 Highest individual scores in T20 World Cup history  

Brendon McCullum (NZ) - 123 runs vs Bangladesh, T20 World Cup 2012 

The former New Zealand skipper and the blistering top-order batter, Brendon McCullum, is the second leading run-scorer for his side in the T20 World Cup history. He has scored 637 runs in 25 innings at an average of 28.95, hitting a century and two half-centuries. 

Besides that, McCullum has the record of the highest individual score in the T20 World Cup history. He achieved this feat against Bangladesh in the fifth match of the 2012 T20 World Cup. McCullum played a swashbuckling knock of 123 runs off just 58 balls, with 11 fours and seven sixes. 

McCullum’s knock helped the Blackcaps post a total of 191 runs for the loss of three wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Later in the second innings, the Kiwi bowlers restricted Bangladesh to the score of 132 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the entire 20 overs, winning the game by 59 runs. 

Brendon McCullum won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his game-defining century off just 51 balls. It was also the then-third-fastest century in the tournament’s history. 

Chris Gayle (WI) - 117 runs vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2007 

In the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007, the first-ever game of the entire tournament’s history was played between the hosts, South Africa and the West Indies. The then-Proteas skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and asked the Caribbean side to bat first. 

The former Caribbean legend, Chris Gayle, started the game with a boundary off the first ball. He went on to smash a century off just 50 balls, ending up his knock at the individual score of 117 runs off just 57 balls, with seven fours and 10 sixes. 

On the back of Gayle’s explosive century, West Indies posted 205 runs for the loss of six wickets in the first innings. However, Gayle’s century went in vain as South Africa comfortably chased the target in 17.4 overs, scoring 208 runs for the loss of just two wickets. 

Nonetheless, Gayle won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his valiant knock despite West Indies losing the game by eight wickets. 

Alex Hales (ENG) - 116* runs vs Sri Lanka, T20 World Cup 2014 

In the 22nd game of the T20 World Cup 2014, Sri Lanka and England locked horns at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The then-England skipper in the tournament, Stuart Broad, won the toss and asked his bowlers to take charge first. 

Batting first, Sri Lanka posted a total of 189 runs for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 20 overs courtesy of Mahela Jayawardene’s 89-run knock and Tillakaratne Dilshan’s 47-ball 51. Jade Dernbach and Chris Jordan picked two wickets each for England in the first innings. 

Later in the second innings, England’s run chase revolved completely around Alex Hales’ unbeaten century. He scored 116 runs off just 64 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes, followed by Eoin Morgan’s 57 runs off 38 balls. 

On the back of these contributions, England chased the target in 19.2 overs, scoring 190 runs for the loss of four wickets and won the game by six wickets. Hales’ 116-run knock is the third-highest individual score in the T20 World Cup history. 

Ahmed Shehzad - 111* runs vs Bangladesh, T20 World Cup 2014

Pakistan and Bangladesh faced off in the 27th game of the T20 World Cup 2014. Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and decided to bat first. 

Opener Ahmed Shehzad took the charge and smashed a brilliant and unbeaten knock of 111 runs off just 62 balls, with 10 fours and five sixes. His knock propelled the Men in Green to the score of 190 runs for the loss of five wickets in the first innings. 

Furthermore, the Pakistan bowlers restricted Bangladesh to the score of 140 runs for the loss of seven wickets, winning the game by 50 runs. Ahmed Shehzad won the ‘Player of the Match’ award and ended up scoring the fourth-highest individual score in the tournament’s history. 

Rilee Rossouw - 109 runs vs Bangladesh, T20 World Cup 2022 

The T20 World Cup 2022 was the first-ever edition of the tournament played down under. South Africa and Bangladesh were facing each other in the tournament’s 22nd game at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Proteas skipper, Temba Bavuma, won the toss and elected to bat first. 

South Africa lost the skipper and opener, Temba Bavuma, early at the team score of two runs in the first over. Furthermore, the game-changing partnership of 168 runs for the second wicket between Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw helped their side post a huge total of 205 runs for the loss of five wickets.

Rossouw smashed an outstanding century, scoring 109 runs off just 56 balls, with seven fours and eight sixes. His knock happened to be the fifth-highest individual score in the T20 World Cup history. South Africa ended up winning this game by 104 runs, with Rossouw getting named ‘Player of the Match’.