The T20 World Cup will be the next major ICC trophy event played, even if the exact timing isn’t as previously scheduled. With that in mind, we look at five Proteas batsmen still playing, who have scored the most runs in T20I cricket.

5. Rassie van der Dussen – 406 runs

Van der Dussen has been a consistent contributor to the Proteas’ cause since making his T20I debut in 2018. He has played just 15 matches and been moved about the order.

A great accumulator of runs, Van der Dussen is also capable of accelerating towards the back end of an innings. He has just two T20I half-centuries to his name, but he hasn’t had too many opportunities for longer innings.

He has also been versatile, which should put him at the front of the queue for a place in the Proteas T20 World Cup squad.

4. Reeza Hendricks – 607 runs

Hendricks has been in and out of the Proteas T20I set-up for the last six years, with most of his opportunities coming as an opener.

Openers are afforded the best chance of going big in the shortest international format. Still, there is also a great deal of pressure to score quickly in the powerplay, especially when a team has all 10 wickets in hand.

Hendricks has had his moments for South Africa in this format and, as a consistent franchise performer, is likely to be afforded a few more opportunities to improve his tally of 607.

3. Quinton de Kock – 1,226 runs

The current T20I skipper has played in surprisingly few matches in this format, with South Africa historically favouring resting stars for bilateral engagements.

De Kock was in superb form this past summer, though, and moved beyond 1,000 runs in T20I cricket.

He is currently fifth on South Africa’s all-time T20I run-scorers list, but we wouldn’t bet against him ending his career on top of that tree.

2. Faf du Plessis – 1,345 runs

Faf du Plessis has also often been rested for T20I engagements and has played the same number of matches as De Kock.

Du Plessis was the second South African batsman to score a T20I century, pummeling the West Indies at the Wanderers in 2015.

The former skipper has scored the most T20I runs for South Africa batting at No 3.

1. David Miller – 1,368 runs

Miller holds the record for the fastest T20I century in history and batting down the order has not prevented him from stacking up T20I runs.

As a white-ball specialist, Miller has played a lot more T20I cricket than anybody on this list, and he leads the race to become the first Proteas batsman to score 2,000 T20I runs.

He holds the distinction of being the batsman who has scored the most T20 International runs batting at both Nos 5 and 6 in the order.

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