Virat Kohli announced his T20I retirement after India lifted the T20 World Cup 2024. Kohli was a batting machine in the shortest international format, with his success speaking volumes in the T20 World Cups. However, a major Kohli record is now under threat.
India legend Virat Kohli will not be seen in action in the T20 World Cup 2026 that kicks off on February 7. This will be the first T20 World Cup since 2012 that Kohli won’t be part of, as he announced his retirement from the shortest international format after helping India lift the T20 crown in 2024.ย
Kohli has been a run-machine for India in the T20Is and has scored 4188 runs in 125 matches, which are the third most behind Babar Azam’s 4505 and Rohit Sharma’s 4231.
He has been a batting machine in the T20 World Cups, too. Kohli has been the top run-scorer in two editions of the tournament in 2014 and 2022 and has been India’s leading run-scorer in the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cups.
Kohli is the leading run-scorer across all T20 World Cups with 1292 runs to his name in 35 matches. He has hit 15 fifties with his highest of 89*. However, Kohli’s legendary record for most runs in the tournament’s history is now under threat as Jos Buttler sits on the door to shatter his feat.
Buttler, the former England captain, has hit 1013 runs in 35 matches from 2012 onwards. He has five fifties and one century in the tournament and is well poised to become the leading run scorer in the World Cup as he is 290 shy of Kohli’s feat.ย
Buttler is currently the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament, but with all three above him having retired (Kohli and Rohit from Tests and T20Is), it won’t take much longer for him to climb up the ladder if he gets going.ย
Most runs in T20 World Cups:
1 – Virat Kohli: 1292 runs in 35 matches
2 – Rohit Sharma: 1220 runs in 47 matches
3 – Mahela Jayawardene: 1016 runs in 31 matches
4 – Jos Buttler: 1013 runs in 31 matches
5 – David Warner: 984 runs in 41 matches
Coming back to the T20 World Cup 2026, the tournament kicks off on February 7 with three matches lined up on the opening day. Pakistan will face the Netherlands in the tournament opener at theย Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo, from 11 AM onwards, while West Indies meet late entrantsย Scotland at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, at 3 PM. India will face the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai at 7 PM.