Buttler becomes T20 cricket’s leading run-scorer

By Charlie Bradshaw — 5 August 2026 — 3 min read

Jos Buttler has become the highest run-scorer in Twenty20 cricket history, surpassing Kieron Pollard’s previous record. The Manchester Super Giants player achieved the milestone by hitting a six over square leg at Old Trafford, bringing his total to 14,833 runs in the format.

Buttler, 35, reached the record during his team’s match against Welsh Fire in The Hundred. He scored an unbeaten 51 runs from 20 balls in that innings, contributing to his remarkable 522-match career in T20 cricket.

A career of consistent performance

Buttler’s journey to the top of the run-scoring charts began in 2009, making his debut for Somerset in the Champions League Twenty20 in Hyderabad. He scored six runs in his first appearance, finishing unbeaten at number nine.

His England debut followed almost two years later in Manchester. Initially, Buttler played as a lower-order finisher, with his first runs for England in an India series coming from number seven. Former England teammate Dawid Malan noted that Buttler’s qualities, including his power and innovative shots, were evident early in his career.

Buttler’s first half-century for England was against New Zealand in 2013, and he recorded his first century in the 2021 T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. He has maintained a consistent average, falling below 30 in only one of the past 12 calendar years.

Since 2021, Buttler’s run-scoring has become even more prolific, particularly after moving up the order to open the batting. All nine of his T20 centuries have come during this period. His average in the powerplay overs is 43, and he is particularly destructive in the death overs, striking at 184 between overs 16 and 20.

Malan highlighted Buttler’s batting philosophy, which focuses on hitting the ball on the off side and pushing his left hip at the bowler. Ex-England paceman Steven Finn also pointed to Buttler’s strong, wristy style of play, which he believes differentiates him from other batters.

Buttler’s experience in all forms of cricket, including 57 Tests for England, has contributed to his ability to build innings and win games, transferring these skills to white-ball cricket.

Overcoming pressure and diverse bowling attacks

One of Buttler’s key strengths is his adaptability against various bowling types. His average against seam bowling from either hand, off-break, and slow left-arm spin remains between 37 and 38. While his average against leg-break bowling is slightly lower at 31.31, he is highly effective against left-arm unorthodox spin, averaging 48.20.

Buttler’s boundary percentage is marginally better against seam bowlers. He is particularly effective against the short ball, averaging 74 against it since 2021. Only Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan has a higher average against short-pitched bowling among players with more than 500 runs in the same period.

Notably, white-ball legends Trent Boult, Matt Henry, and Sam Curran have never dismissed Buttler in T20 cricket. Only India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Varun Chakaravarthy have dismissed him more than five times, while Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan has the best strike-rate against him, removing him six times in 82 deliveries.

Malan also commented on the immense pressure Buttler faces as a marquee player who captains and plays globally. He stated that Buttler has consistently dealt with this pressure throughout his career, making his achievements even more remarkable.

Looking to the future

After achieving the record, Buttler’s initial thoughts turned to the future of T20 cricket. He expressed humility, stating that someone would eventually surpass his record, specifically mentioning 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from India.

Buttler’s endorsement of Sooryavanshi, who has already broken several youngest-player records and top-scored for India against Zimbabwe, highlights his recognition of emerging talent. Buttler will turn 36 on 8 September.

Source: bbc.co.uk