Ranking the all-time best power hitters in T20I death overs

Marcus-Stoinis-and-David-Miller. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Teams want batters who have the potential to attack bowlers from the word go in T20 Internationals aka T20Is. The first powerplay which occurs from the first to the sixth over allows the batting side to accumulate runs at a swift pace. However, the most challenging task for teams is to notch up runs in the death overs of games. In that situation, every side needs power hitters who can bring bowlers under pressure and finish innings efficiently for them.

It’s been almost 21 years since the first T20I was played and introduced to fans. Since then, fans have witnessed several batters who emerged as specialists in taking bowling units to the cleaners in the death overs. Discussing more, let’s discuss some power hitters of all time in T20I cricket.

Here we rank the top 10 power-hitter batters in T20I death overs:

10. Marcus Stoinis

Marcus Stoinis. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Australia’s Marcus Stoinis is known for his exceptional all-round skills in white-ball cricket. As a batter, he possesses excellent hard-hitting ability which makes him a perfect finisher in cricket’s shortest format. Batting in the lower middle order, his strike rate crosses 135.00 usually in T20Is.

There are several instances to recount when Stoinis flexed his muscles and helped Australia win close T20I games comfortably. Back in the 2022 T20 World Cup, he came at number five and rescued his team against Sri Lanka at the Optus Stadium, with his extraordinary 59-run knock off just 18 deliveries. With this innings, he also became the Australian player with the fastest T20I half-century.

9. David Miller  

David Miller. (Photo Source: Disney+Hotstar)

South Africa’s left-handed batter David Miller is another stylish T20I batter who is considered one of the best to give nightmares to bowlers in the death overs. He is the only Protea batter who has scored two centuries in cricket’s shortest format. His strike rate in the T20Is is around 145.00 which clearly indicates that his batting technique is best suitable to the format.

In his vast career, there have been many instances to recount when he displayed his power-hitting potential but his best came against India in a losing cause. Following the humongous target of 238, the Protea side had lost three wickets at a score of 47 in 6.2 overs. In the crisis, Miller stepped up and took the game close with his spunky 106-run innings.

At the end of the day, South Africa went back home without a victory but Miller’s masterclass won the hearts of passionate cricket fans. His exquisite innings was studded with 15 boundaries which included eight fours and seven maximums.

8. Thisara Perera

Thisara Perera. (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Thisara Perera, who served Sri Lanka from 2009-21, was considered a hard-hitter of the ball in white-ball cricket during his playing days. His intrepid batting style got him a job as a finisher in the team and he played that part superbly.

In his illustrious international career, the brawny left-hander displayed his batting mettle against quality bowling attacks on numerous occasions in T20Is. He played one of the best knocks of his T20I career in January 2013. At the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), he came to bat at number six and played a rapid 35-run knock off just 15 deliveries to help his team post a decent total of 161 runs on the board.

During his innings, he clobbered eminent Aussie bowlers Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner, and Xavier Doherty in the final overs of the game. Riding on his batting effort, Sri Lanka registered a two-run win (Duckworth-Lewis method) over the hosts.

7. Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan (Photo Source: Twitter)

Former England skipper Eoin Morgan was one of the most brilliant T20I players England ever got. Serving the English side for 12 years in T20Is, he batted in the middle-order in a majority of games. During his career, he also found himself in a situation where he donned the role of a heavy hitter and finished innings with style.

His flexible batting technique helped him to become an effective game-changer for the team. In December 2012, he showcased a relentless approach against India in a T20I contest held at the Wankhede Stadium. Chasing 178, England were required three off just one. In the intense moment, the southpaw took the matter into his own hands and smashed a maximum against Ashok Dinda on the last delivery of the game. His plucky knock of an unbeaten 49 off 26 also got him the Player of the Match award.

6. Liam Livingstone

Liam Livingstone (Photo Source: Twitter)

Liam Livingstone has proven himself in T20Is with his magnificent batting numbers for England. Accumulating 617 runs in 38 T20Is at a stunning strike rate of 149.75, the right-handed batter has exhibited that his fierce playing style can help him serve the English team as a finisher for a long time. 

Serving England since 2017, the right-handed batter has played some notable knocks in the T20I set-up. In December 2023, when England erected their highest T20I total of 267 against the West Indies at the Brian Lara Stadium, Livingstone chipped in with his unbeaten 21-ball 54. In death overs, Livingstone neutralised the Windies bowlers’ confidence with his clean hitting. 

Confronting Matthew Forde in the 18th over of the innings, he hit three maximums and brought cheers to the faces of his teammates. In the end, England registered a convincing 75-run win and Phil Salt became the Player of the Match for his 119-run innings off 57 but Livingstone’s blistering innings also became memorable.

5. Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo Source: SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Suryakumar Yadav has become a prominent figure in T20Is due to his extraordinary batting numbers. In his brief career, he has established himself as a batter who can play big shots for the team from start to end. In December 2023, he became the joint-fastest India batter to score 2000 runs in T20Is. He pulled off this amazing feat in just 56 innings.

The 33-year-old plays in the top order but he has shown that he can utilise his swashbuckling playing style for the team and can play effective match-finishing knocks. In the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), there are numerous incidents to recount when Surya dominated bowlers in the death overs and took Mumbai Indians (MI) home comfortably.

4. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya. (Photo Source: RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images)

Hardik Pandya can be considered one of the best finishers in T20I cricket and his sensational record also corroborates this fact. The right-hander has scored runs all over the world against quality sides to prove his mettle. His aggressive batting attitude makes him gruesome against bowlers in the death overs. 

He has won several close games for India with his batting in his eight-year T20I career. In the intriguing 2022 Asia Cup group match against Pakistan in Dubai, he took on Haris Rauf and Mohammad Nawaz courageously in the death overs to help India chase down 148 with two balls to spare. He contributed 33 runs to his team after playing 17 deliveries.

3. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell. (Photo Source: Emily Barker/Getty Images)

Glenn Maxwell is a top-order batter and he often goes back to the pavilion before the death overs, however, in case, he remains at the crease, it becomes difficult for bowlers to get rid of him and save themselves from his hammering. The Aussie is known for attacking bowlers since the start of his innings and his presence on the pitch after the 15th over gives him the licence to be more ruthless against opponents.

Riding on his sensational power, Australia won some intriguing matches in the past. In 2019, when Australia registered their first T20I series victory in India, Maxwell smashed an unbeaten 113 off 55 in the second T20I at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and helped his side pull off a target of 191.  

2. Andre Russell

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 31: Andre Russell of West Indies bats during the T20 match between ICC World XI and West Indies at Lord’s Cricket Ground on May 31, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)

West Indies have delivered a lot of amazing talents to this beautiful sport. In T20Is, their standard has declined in recent years but there was a time when they produced players such as Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Kieron Pollard, who helped them win two T20 World Cup titles.

Russell’s muscular physique gives him the power to clear the fence easily. Utilising his unprecedented hard-hitting capability, he unnerves bowlers in the death overs. Back in the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium, he showcased his might with the bat against India’s quality bowling unit. His unbeaten 43 off 20 gave a finishing touch to the Caribbean side’s emphatic seven-wicket victory.

1. Kieron Pollard

Kieron-Pollard. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Kieron Pollard retired from international cricket in 2022 after rendering his services to the West Indies cricket team for 15 years but his fans still recall his ferocious knocks. The right-handed batter was known for instilling fear in bowlers with his presence on the crease. His attacking batting style made him one of the best finishers in world cricket.

As a lower-middle-order batter, he used to emerge as a threat to bowlers in the death overs.  Pollard played a lot of match-winning innings for the Windies side during his massive T20I career but his 38-run knock (15 deliveries) against Australia in the 2012 T20 World Cup semi-final in Colombo can be called one of the best.

Taking on the quality bowling attack that consisted of Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins confidently, he played some excellent strokes from his bat at the final stage of the innings.