IPL 2023: KL Rahul achieves new T20 milestone, leaves behind Virat Kohli in elite list

LSG vs GT: KL Rahul on Saturday became the fastest Indian cricketer to reach 7000 runs in T20 cricket. He achieved the feat during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Rahul took just 197 innings to reach the milestone, breaking the record previously held by Virat Kohli who had achieved the same in 212 innings during a T20I game against New Zealand in Rajkot back in November 2017.

Rahul becomes the third-fastest player to achieve the feat

Babar Azam currently holds the record for the fastest batter to reach 7000 runs in T20 cricket, achieving the feat in just 187 innings in October 2021 against Southern Punjab. Chris Gayle is the second-fastest player to reach this milestone, accomplishing it while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2015 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Rahul, therefore, is the third-fastest player to do so on the list.

Before the match against Gujarat Titans, KL Rahul required 14 runs to reach 7000 T20 runs. In the first over bowled by Mohammed Shami, he played out a maiden over. However, in the third over bowled by Shami, Rahul smashed three consecutive boundaries, which helped him reach the milestone. Rahul has been in decent form during the ongoing IPL, scoring a fifty against Rajasthan Royals and becoming the second-fastest batter to score 2000 runs as a skipper in the IPL.

Despite this, he has also faced criticism for his strike rate while playing for Lucknow Super Giants. In the match against Gujarat Titans on Saturday, Rahul scored 66 off 50 balls at a strike rate of 132. He got out in the final over with Lucknow needing 10 off 4 balls. Gujarat made a stunning comeback to take three more wickets and eventually won the match by 7 runs. 

Image: BCCI