In a landmark moment at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday evening, Indian star batter KL Rahul etched his name into T20 cricket history by becoming the fastest Indian to surpass 8,000 career runs in the format. Representing the Delhi Capitals in a high-stakes IPL clash against the Gujarat Titans, Rahul reached the milestone in just 224 innings, eclipsing the previous Indian record held by Virat Kohli (243 innings).
Rahul’s achievement came in spectacular fashion during the powerplay. On the bowling of Kagiso Rabada, he dispatched a boundary followed by a towering six to cross the 8,000-run threshold—doing so 19 innings quicker than Kohli. The promotion to opening the batting proved decisive, allowing Rahul to seize the initiative and thrive in the field’s freshest conditions.
On the global stage, Rahul now ranks third-fastest to 8,000 T20 runs, trailing only Chris Gayle (213 innings) and Babar Azam (218 innings). Kohli slots in fourth, while Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan completes the top five with 244 innings.
Rahul’s T20 résumé shines with six centuries and 69 half-centuries, testament to his consistency across IPL seasons, international fixtures, and franchise leagues. Before Sunday’s match, he needed just 33 more runs to hit the milestone—yet every run felt pivotal in Delhi’s playoff push.
As the Capitals’ management gambled by sending Rahul to the top of the order, the decision paid off handsomely. His record-breaking knock not only rewrote the Indian T20 record books but also underscored his reputation as one of the format’s most versatile and formidable batters.
