India’s performance in T20Is during 2024 was marked by contrasting fortunes, showcasing both resilience and setbacks. The team demonstrated commendable grit in the Women’s Asia Cup, advancing to the final but finishing as runners-up, while also falling short in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, missing out on the knockout stages. Amid these mixed results, India’s batting lineup stood tall with several standout performers, mostly during bilaterals, taking up the run-scoring mantle. This article delves into India’s top run-scorers in T20Is in 2024, highlighting their contributions and the key moments that defined their year.
Most Runs for India in T20Is (2024):
1) Smriti Mandhana – 763 runs
The star opener dominated the T20I format in 2024, amassing 763 runs in 21 innings to emerge as India’s leading run-scorer. The left-handed batter scored as many as eight fifties during the year, averaging an impressive 42. Mandhana was India’s second-highest run-scorer and the tournament’s third-leading run-scorer in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, compiling 173 runs in four matches, including two half-centuries. However, her form dipped during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, where she managed just 75 runs in four matches. Mandhana bounced back brilliantly at the end of the year, smashing three consecutive fifties in the home series against West Indies, scoring 193 runs and bagging the Player of the Series award. She now holds the record for the most fifties in T20I cricket and led India with the most sixes in 2024, hitting 16 maximums.
2) Shafali Verma – 531 runs
The dynamic opener finished second on the list with 531 runs in 20 matches, averaging 33. The year saw Shafali achieving a personal milestone of surpassing 2,000 T20I career runs. Known for her aggressive batting, she recorded three fifties in 2024, including her career-best 81 against Nepal in the Women’s Asia Cup. Verma was India’s leading run-scorer in the tournament and the second overall, accumulating 200 runs in five matches. She also contributed impactful knocks during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. However, the year ended on a sour note as the 20-year-old was dropped for the home T20I series against West Indies in December.
3) Harmanpreet Kaur – 394 runs
The Indian skipper had a stellar year with the bat, scoring 394 runs in 15 innings at an average of 43. Despite batting in the middle order, Kaur’s consistency was a standout feature, with three half-centuries to her name. She emerged as India’s top performer during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, where she was the team’s leading run-scorer with 150 runs. Her efforts included two fifties, against New Zealand and Australia, and she remained unbeaten in all four matches, exemplifying her ability to anchor the innings under pressure.
4) Richa Ghosh – 365 runs
Tasked with finishing games, Richa Ghosh had a remarkable year, amassing 365 runs at an explosive strike rate of 156. The young wicketkeeper-batter registered two fifties, including her maiden T20I half-century, an unbeaten 64 against the United Arab Emirates in the Women’s Asia Cup. Richa’s power-hitting prowess was on full display when she smashed an 18-ball fifty—the joint-fastest —in the third T20I against West Indies in December. She also smashed 15 sixes during the year and her crucial lower-order contributions solidified her status as India’s reliable finisher in the shortest format.
5) Jemimah Rodrigues – 344 runs
India’s middle-order lynchpin, Jemimah Rodrigues, showcased a transformed approach in T20Is in 2024. She aggregated 344 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of over 140, scoring two half-centuries. Her unbeaten 53 off 30 balls against South Africa in July and a composed 73 against West Indies in December were highlights of her year. Jemimah’s ability to adapt to various batting positions and contribute impactful knocks in the middle order was impactful.
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