Brian Bennett nears 2,000 T20I runs for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe batter Brian Bennett is ten runs short of joining Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl as the third Zimbabwean to reach 2,000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). The 22-year-old has accumulated 1,990 runs in 62 T20I matches, averaging 35.53 with a strike rate of 143.37. His record includes one century, 12 half-centuries, and a highest score of 111.

Bennett has the opportunity to achieve this milestone during the second T20I match against India in Harare on Saturday. He was dismissed without scoring in the first match of the two-match series.

Fellow Zimbabwe players Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl have already surpassed the 2,000-run threshold. Raza has scored 3,144 runs in 137 matches and 132 innings at an average of 26.20, with a strike rate of 137.05, including one century and 17 fifties. Burl has accumulated 2,040 runs in 122 matches and 113 innings, averaging 26.40 with a strike rate of 124.01 and four half-centuries.

Against India, Bennett has performed well, scoring 168 runs in seven innings at an average of 28.00 and a strike rate exceeding 151. Notably, he recorded an unbeaten 97 during this year’s ICC T20 World Cup.

India’s squad for the series includes Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Suryansh Shedge, Harsh Dubey, Prabhsimran Singh, and Yash Thakur.

Zimbabwe’s squad features Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wicketkeeper), Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (captain), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Innocent Kaia, Tanaka Chivanga, and Wellington Masakadza.