T20 cricket is designed with explosive batting in mind. But even in a format where the batsmen are supposed to attack almost all balls, some of them make scores way higher than others. The highest individual score in T20 history is 175 not out, scored by Chris Gayle for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in the IPL in 2013. Gayle scored the score off just 66 balls with 13 fours and 17 sixes.
But “T20” is not always used in the same context in T20 cricket records. So there are different scores for overall T20 and T20 internationals (T20Is) or the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Distinguishing between them is necessary when searching for the record.
Highest Individual Score in T20 History
Chris Gayle’s 175 is still the highest individual score in recognized senior men’s T20 cricket.* Chris Gayle made the fantastic innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on 23 April 2013.
He took just 66 balls to reach 175 not out with 13 fours and 17 sixes. It gave him a strike rate of more than 265. RCB’s score was 263/5, which was a record team score at that moment. With Gayle’s innings, about two-thirds of the score belong to one batsman.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Highest individual T20 score | 175* |
| Player | Chris Gayle |
| Team | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| Opposition | Pune Warriors India |
| Balls faced | 66 |
| Fours | 13 |
| Sixes | 17 |
| Strike rate | 265.15 |
| Year | 2013 |
| Venue | Bengaluru |
Gayle’s 175 has remained the benchmark for individual batting in senior men’s T20 cricket. Major cricket records sources continue to list it as the highest score in the format.
Why Chris Gayle’s 175 Is So Special
It is a unique record to score 175 in T20 cricket as there are only 120 legal deliveries allowed for the whole team. Gayle managed to face 66 balls and score at a rate of more than 2.6 runs per delivery. His 17 sixes are also a distinguishing feature of the innings.
He reached a century off just 30 deliveries. Chris Gayle showed enormous power and ability to score many boundary runs during his innings. This inning became an example of an explosive innings in T20 cricket.
The record managed to hold despite the development of franchise T20 cricket and new approaches to attacking batting.
Top Individual Scores in T20 History
The overall T20 record includes T20 franchises and domestic competitions in addition to international matches. It explains why Chris Gayle’s 175 is listed before Aaron Finch’s 172, even though Aaron Finch’s inning was in T20 international match.
| Rank | Player | Score | Balls | Team | Opposition | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Gayle | 175* | 66 | RCB | Pune Warriors India | IPL |
| 2 | Aaron Finch | 172 | 76 | Australia | Zimbabwe | T20I |
| 3 | Hamza Khan | 164* | 65 | Rwanda | Ivory Coast | T20I |
| 4 | Hazratullah Zazai | 162* | 62 | Afghanistan | Ireland | T20I |
| 5 | Mohammad Ihsan | 160 | 63 | Spain | Croatia | T20I |
The leaderboard has become more crowded in recent years. Aaron Finch’s 172 used to be the main challenger to Gayle’s record, while Hamza Khan’s 164* in 2026 moved him into the second place in T20I scores.
Highest Individual Score in T20 International
The highest individual score in men’s T20 international cricket is 172 scored by Aaron Finch for Australia against Zimbabwe in 2018.
Aaron Finch performed an absolutely destructive inning in T20I cricket at Harare on 3 July 2018. He scored 172 off just 76 balls with 16 fours and 10 sixes. His strike rate was 226.31, and Australia finished their inning with 229/2.
Aaron Finch’s 172 remained the T20I record despite many huge scores by batters of newer international teams.
| Player | Score | Balls | Opposition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Finch | 172 | 76 | Zimbabwe | 2018 |
| Hamza Khan | 164* | 65 | Ivory Coast | 2026 |
| Hazratullah Zazai | 162* | 62 | Ireland | 2019 |
| Mohammad Ihsan | 160 | 63 | Croatia | 2025 |
| Aaron Finch | 156 | 63 | England | 2013 |
Hamza Khan’s unbeaten 164 for Rwanda against Ivory Coast in 2026 is now the second-highest individual score in men’s T20Is according to the ICC’s record update.
Aaron Finch’s 172 in T20I
What made Finch’s 172 so spectacular was that he maintained an incredible scoring rate for 76 balls. There were 26 fours in total in the innings, including 16 fours and 10 sixes. He got a century in 50 balls and kept playing aggressive cricket till the end of the innings.
This was a record bettering Finch’s personal best score of 156 in a T20I against England in 2013. At present, it is the highest score in men’s T20I cricket till September 2026.
Highest Individual Score in T20 World Cup
In the men’s T20 World Cup, the highest individual score is 123 by Brendon McCullum for New Zealand against Bangladesh in 2012. McCullum got 123 runs off 58 balls in Pallekele. There were 11 fours and seven sixes in the innings, giving McCullum a strike rate of 212.06. This broke the previous record set by Chris Gayle who got 117 against South Africa in 2007 T20 World Cup.
| Rank | Player | Score | Balls | Opposition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendon McCullum | 123 | 58 | Bangladesh | 2012 |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | 117 | 57 | South Africa | 2007 |
| 3 | Alex Hales | 116* | 64 | Sri Lanka | 2014 |
| 4 | Ahmed Shehzad | 111* | 62 | Bangladesh | 2014 |
| 5 | Yuvraj Samra | 110 | 65 | New Zealand | 2026 |
| 6 | Rilee Rossouw | 109 | 56 | Bangladesh | 2022 |
The 2026 tournament added Yuvraj Samra’s 110 for Canada against New Zealand to the list, but McCullum’s 123 remained the tournament record.
Brendon McCullum’s Record T20 World Cup Innings
This 123 was achieved by Brendon McCullum in the 2012 T20 World Cup at Pallekele. The New Zealand were facing Bangladesh and McCullum played aggressively right from the beginning. Seven sixes and 11 fours were played by McCullum in the 58-ball innings.
This score is the highest individual score in the men’s T20 World Cup for more than a decade and still remains the record after the 2026 World Cup.
It should be kept in mind that this is a T20 World Cup record, which should not be confused with the overall T20 record, which is held by Gayle.
Chris Gayle’s T20 World Cup Record
Chris Gayle also holds an important record in T20 World Cup. In the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup, Gayle scored 117 runs off 57 balls against South Africa. The innings included seven fours and 10 sixes.
This score became the first century in the history of men’s T20 World Cup and made Gayle the first batter to score a century in all three international formats.
Later, Gayle went on to score another T20 World Cup century against England in 2016, which made him the first batter to score two centuries in the T20 World Cup. Later, Sahibzada Farhan matched this feat in the 2026 edition.
Highest Individual Score in T20 World Cup 2026
The highest individual score in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup could not break McCullum’s overall tournament record. Yuvraj Samra got 110 runs off 65 balls for Canada against New Zealand, which made him the fifth player to score at least 110 runs in a men’s T20 World Cup innings.
Another major batting star of the tournament was Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan. He scored 383 runs in the entire tournament and became the first player to score two centuries in a single men’s T20 World Cup edition. Farhan’s T20 World Cup was amazing but his highest individual score fell short of McCullum’s 123.
Highest Individual Score in T20 vs T20I vs T20 World Cup
All of these three records are often confused with each other though they represent different aspects of cricket.
The highest score in all senior men’s T20 cricket is Gayle’s 175*. The highest T20I score is Finch’s 172, while the highest men’s T20 World Cup score is McCullum’s 123.
| Category | Record | Player |
|---|---|---|
| Highest individual score in T20 history | 175* | Chris Gayle |
| Highest individual score in T20I | 172 | Aaron Finch |
| Highest individual score in Men’s T20 World Cup | 123 | Brendon McCullum |
| Highest individual score in Women’s T20 World Cup | 126* | Meg Lanning |
This distinction is essential for anyone searching for the Highest Score in T20 History, because a record from one category cannot automatically be used for another.
Highest Individual Score in Women’s T20 World Cup
For balance, there is a record in the Women’s T20 World Cup too. Meg Lanning hit 126 not out for Australia against Ireland in the 2014 Women’s T20 World Cup. Lanning got to the total in just 65 balls, hitting 18 fours and four sixes in the process.
This innings stands as the highest individual score in Women’s T20 World Cup history. The record is independent of the men’s T20 World Cup record, set at 123 by Brendon McCullum.
Why Is 175 So Difficult to Beat?
First, the batter will have to play the innings for a prolonged period. For obvious reasons, 175 runs cannot be scored without facing many deliveries. Second, the batter will have to score at a very high boundary rate without getting dismissed in the process. Just one bad decision or stroke can end the innings and thus, eliminate the chance of posting such a big score.
Third, the batting team should get all the right conditions. There has to be a good pitch, a good start, a lot of batting opportunities, and a good match situation too. All these factors came into play during Gayle’s innings in 2013, and replicating the same is almost impossible.
What Makes a 150-Plus T20 Innings Possible?
A 150-plus score normally requires a batter to dominate almost the entire innings.
The most important factors include:
- Power hitting: Sixes and boundaries dramatically increase the scoring rate.
- Strike rotation: Singles and twos prevent long periods of dot balls.
- Wicket preservation: A long innings is impossible without staying at the crease.
- Match conditions: A flat pitch and fast outfield can make sustained attacking easier.
- Batting position: Openers generally have more opportunity to face a large number of deliveries.
- Partnership support: A reliable partner allows the main batter to maintain pressure without taking unnecessary risks.
Gayle’s 175 is a perfect example of how these factors can combine in one extraordinary innings.
FAQs
What is the highest individual score in T20 history?
Chris Gayle holds the record with an unbeaten 175 for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in the 2013 IPL.
Who scored the highest score in T20 cricket?
Chris Gayle scored the highest individual total in senior men’s T20 cricket, making 175 not out from 66 balls in 2013.
What is the highest individual score in T20 International?
Aaron Finch holds the men’s T20I record with 172 runs against Zimbabwe in 2018.
Who has the highest individual score in T20 World Cup?
Brendon McCullum holds the men’s T20 World Cup record with 123 runs from 58 balls against Bangladesh in 2012.
Who scored 175 in T20 cricket?
Chris Gayle scored 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in the 2013 IPL.
Who scored 172 in T20I cricket?
Aaron Finch scored 172 for Australia against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2018. It remains the highest individual score in men’s T20I cricket.
Who scored the second-highest score in T20I cricket?
As of September 2026, Rwanda’s Hamza Khan holds the second-highest men’s T20I score with an unbeaten 164 against Ivory Coast in 2026.
Conclusion
The highest individual score in T20 cricket history is the unbeaten 175 scored by Chris Gayle for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in 2013. It has to go down as one of the best innings played till date in T20 cricket. The records will vary as the category gets restricted to certain competitions. Aaron Finch holds the record of the highest individual score in Men’s T20I cricket with 172, and Brendon McCullum holds the record of highest individual score in Men’s T20 World Cup with 123.
2026 season saw some changes in the records, with Hamza Khan scoring 164* in T20Is and Yuvraj Samra scoring 110 in the T20 World Cup. However, Chris Gayle still holds the ultimate benchmark of individual scores in men’s T20 cricket history.
Also, Read About: Fastest Century in ODI | Highest Partnership in IPL | Highest Chase in IPL
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