Joe Root: 4 highest T20I scores of the England captain ahead of IPL 2020 Auction

England's Test skipper Joe Root played a fine knock of 226 in Hamilton on Monday, handing England a 101-run lead against the Kiwis. While Root's brilliance in the Test format is not surprising and sometimes, even taken for granted, the English batter's prowess in T20s is something that has gotten very less attention until now. With the IPL Auction fast approaching, Root may be eyeing his very first IPL stint. As we wait for December 19, here are four of his best T20I innings. 

Joe Root: The best T20I innings of all time

4. 55 vs West Indies, Basseterre - 2019

This inning came in a match where England simply outclassed the Windies with the ball. After Windies skipper Jason Holder won the toss and chose to field first, England gave them a hammering - courtesy of Joe Root and Sam Billings. While Billings scored 87, Root was no less as he gave the failed top-order some hope and held the innings with his 55 off 40 deliveries. He hit seven fours and no sixes. Led by Chris Jordan's 4 wickets, England wrapped up the West Indies to clinch a crushing 137-run victory.

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3. 68 vs New Zealand, Manchester - 2015

In the only T20I of that tour, Root was adjudged Player of the Match. After skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss and chose to bat first, Root helped the English team reach 191 - courtesy of his 68 at No.3 which included 8 fours and six. Led by David Willey and Mark Wood, England were able to restrict the Blackcaps to 135 and win the match.

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2. 83 vs South Africa, Mumbai - 2016

In this high-scoring Super 10 match-up of the ICC World T20 2016, Root helped England chase down an almost impossible looking 229 that the Proteas had set. Led by Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, and JP Duminy's fifties, the Proteas easily reached 229 in their 20 overs. In return, Jason Roy opened the innings with a blitz at the top, followed by Root who came in at No.4 and helped England clinch the match in a match where they could afford no mistakes. Root made 83 in 44 balls with six fours and four sixes.

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1. 90 vs Australia, Southampton - 2013

While this match was completely stolen by Aaron Finch's unreal 156 at the top of the Australian order, Root's highest T20I score also came in this match as he tried to get England as close as they could to the victory. Led by Finch's 156, Australia set a massive 248 for England to chase. The England top-order collapsed under pressure, and it was all upon Root and Ravi Bopara. While both of them tried, they failed and England lost by 39 runs. Root, however, remained 90* at the end of the innings with 13 fours and one six.

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