Virat Kohli becomes leading run-scorer in the history of T20 World Cup; breaks Mahela Jayawardene's record

Digital  Desk: Virat Kohli has become the all-time leading run-scorer in men's T20 World Cups, surpassing Mahela Jayawardene's 2014 record of 1016 runs.

Kohli set the record during India's fourth group game against Bangladesh in Adelaide, and he now has an average of more than 80 and a strike rate of more than 130 in T20 World Cups. The run that put him ahead of Jayawardene came off the 13th ball he faced on Wednesday, in India's seventh over, when he flicked Taskin Ahmed to midwicket for a single.

In his fifth T20 World Cup, Kohli became the competition's best run-scorer in only his 23rd innings, having scored 12 half-centuries. In comparison, Jayawardene had played 31 innings to achieve his record, despite facing less balls (754 balls) than Kohli (773).

In his debut T20 World Cup, Kohli scored 185 runs in 2012, led the league in runs scored in 2014; and finished second in runs scored in 2016. Kohli was named Player of the Tournament in both the 2014 and 2016 tournaments, making him the only male cricketer to do so. His six Player-of-the-Match awards are also the most in tournament history.

Kohli started the 2022 T20 World Cup with 845 runs and two undefeated half-centuries against Pakistan and the Netherlands before being removed for 12 against South Africa. Those exploits propelled him over Tillakaratne Dilshan (897), Rohit Sharma (904) and Chris Gayle (965) into second place on the list of all-time T20 World Cup run-scorers, until he surpassed Jayawardene during the game against Bangladesh.

Kohli also owns the record for most runs scored in all T20 internationals, surpassing Rohit, Martin Guptill, Babar Azam, and Paul Stirling. Kohli is approaching the 4000-run mark in T20Is, averaging more than 50 with a strike rate of almost 140.