Jos Buttler overtakes Rohit Sharma to become No. 2 in T20I runs after his 80 against Sri Lanka, reaching 4,292 runs in Southampton

New Delhi: Jos Buttler has moved past Rohit Sharma to become the second-highest run-scorer in men’s T20I cricket. The England opener reached the landmark during his 80 off 44 balls against Sri Lanka in the first T20I at Southampton on September 15. Buttler’s latest knock took his career tally to 4,292 runs, moving him beyond Rohit’s 4,231. The milestone came on a night when England also produced a huge batting performance and completed a 119-run win.

Buttler goes past Rohit Sharma

Buttler entered the match needing 20 runs to move beyond Rohit’s total of 4,231 T20I runs. He got there during a brisk innings that combined power hitting with sharp running between the wickets.

The 35-year-old now has 4,292 runs from 161 T20Is and 148 innings at an average of 34.33. His record includes two centuries and 29 fifties. Rohit, who played 159 T20Is between 2007 and 2024, finished his international career with 4,231 runs.

Buttler had already moved ahead of Virat Kohli in July. His 131 off 64 balls against India at Southampton pushed him past Kohli’s T20I tally of 4,188. With both Rohit and Kohli retired from T20Is, Buttler is now the leading active run-scorer after Babar Azam.

How the innings unfolded at the Rose Bowl

Buttler wasted little time making an impact. After England lost debutant Aneurin Donald in the third over, he attacked Dushmantha Chameera in the following over, hitting four boundaries in succession.

England reached 90/1 by the end of the powerplay, setting the tone for a high-scoring evening. Buttler brought up his fifty from only 29 balls. For a casual fan, that means he needed fewer than 30 deliveries to reach the 50-run mark, showing just how quickly he scored.

He was given another chance in the eighth over when he was dropped off Maheesh Theekshana. Buttler eventually fell in the 13th over, caught off Wanindu Hasaranga after making 80 from 44 deliveries. His innings included eight fours and three sixes.

Harry Brook steals the show

Even Buttler’s record-setting innings was eventually overshadowed by Harry Brook.

The England captain smashed an unbeaten 114 from 49 balls, his career-best T20I score, as England finished on 254/4. Brook and Buttler put together 128 runs for the second wicket, one of England’s biggest partnerships against Sri Lanka in the format.

Brook’s century came from 42 balls, while his unbeaten 114 contained 10 fours and six sixes. He was named Player of the Match.

After the game, Brook highlighted how well he and Buttler worked together, including their running between the wickets. The pair ran 22 twos during their partnership, something that helped keep the pressure on Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka never got going

Chasing 255 was always going to require an exceptional start from Sri Lanka. Instead, they lost three wickets inside the powerplay and struggled to build any momentum.

Dunith Wellalage top-scored with 33, while Dasun Shanaka made 24. The rest of the batting order could not produce the sustained partnership needed to challenge England’s total.

Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 135 in 19 overs. England’s 119-run victory gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and extended their winning streak against Sri Lanka in T20Is to 13 matches.

Where Buttler now stands in the all-time list

Buttler’s 4,292 runs put him second behind Pakistan’s Babar Azam, who leads the men’s T20I list with 4,596 runs from 145 matches at an average of 38.94.

Rohit remains third with 4,231, while Kohli is fourth with 4,188. The difference at the top also shows how close Buttler is to Babar: only 304 runs separate the two.

Buttler also reached the 4,000-run mark faster than anyone else in T20I history. He crossed that figure during England’s T20 World Cup match against Scotland at Eden Gardens in February 2026, needing 2,690 balls to do so.

The bigger picture: Buttler’s T20 numbers overall

Buttler’s impact goes well beyond international cricket. He has scored around 14,970 runs in 527 T20 matches, averaging 35.47. His overall T20 record includes nine centuries, 107 fifties, 658 sixes and 1,359 fours.

For England, he remains the only batter to have crossed 4,000 T20I runs. His record against Sri Lanka is particularly strong too: 553 runs in 14 T20Is at an average of 55.3, including one century and four fifties.

Buttler has also been one of the defining figures in England’s modern white-ball era. He captained England to the 2022 T20 World Cup title and continues to play franchise cricket, including for Gujarat Titans in the IPL.

What’s next in the series

England will carry a 1-0 lead into the second T20I after their dominant opening performance. The next match is scheduled for Cardiff on Thursday, September 17.

For Buttler, the immediate focus will shift back to helping England win the series. But his move past Rohit has given the Southampton opener another major landmark to add to his T20 career.

The all-time T20I race now has Buttler firmly in second place, with Babar Azam still ahead.