Ishan Kishan Breaks Suryakumar Yadav's Record for Most T20I Runs by an Indian in a Calendar Year, Reaching 1,220
Ishan Kishan has broken Suryakumar Yadav's record for the most T20I runs by an Indian in a calendar year. He reached 1,220 runs in 2026 during the fifth and final T20I against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday, November 1. Kishan scored 61 off 32 balls in the match, with five fours and five sixes.
Kishan needed only six runs before the game to pass the old mark. Suryakumar scored 1,164 runs in 31 innings in 2022. That record had stood for four years. Kishan went past it by hitting a boundary through midwicket off Mitchell Santner, followed by a six. It was his 14th T20I half-century.
His 1,220 runs have come in 37 innings this year at an average of 35.88 and a strike rate of 171.58. They include one century and eight half-centuries. Kishan batted at number three in the series. He had a quiet start to the New Zealand series and missed a couple of games because of injury, but he came back with a big knock in the last game.
| Rank | Batter | Year | T20I runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan) | 2021 | 1,326 |
| 2 | Ishan Kishan (India) | 2026 | 1,220 |
| 3 | Suryakumar Yadav (India) | 2022 | 1,164 |
Overall, Kishan's 1,220 runs put him second on the all-time list for most runs in a calendar year in T20Is. Only Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan has scored more, with 1,326 in 2021. Suryakumar's average and strike rate in his record year were higher than Kishan's, at 46.56 and 187.43.
The innings also took Kishan past 2,000 T20I runs. He now has 2,016 runs in the format. He is the seventh Indian to cross 2,000 runs and the third-fastest, behind Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar. Rohit Sharma leads India's all-time list with 4,231 runs, followed by Virat Kohli with 4,188. Suryakumar is third with 3,272.
Kishan's knock rescued India after a poor start. They were 19 for 2 after being put in to bat. He then shared a 93-run stand for the third wicket with captain Shreyas Iyer, who made 50 off 23 balls. India finished on 191 for 8. Adam Milne took 4 for 19.
The record did not come in a winning cause. New Zealand chased down the target with seven wickets in hand. Tim Seifert scored 93 and Glenn Phillips was unbeaten on 65. India still won the series 3-2.