T20 cricket is a fast-moving format which gives no time to the players to perform. It takes a lot of skill to master this format. The pressure of playing in a shorter format is very high because the expectations are high. But when a player is playing his first game. But some players like to perform on the big stage.
Over the years, we have seen a number of players perform on a bigger stage. Making a debut for the country is the biggest dream for any cricketer, but the ones who make it memorable by performing well in their debut match are some special cricketers. Hence, here we will talk about such players who have scored the most runs in their debut T20I match (the list will include players from test playing nations).
Most Runs on T20 Internation Debut (Test Playing Nations)
| Batter | Runs | Inn | Team | Against | Venue | Date |
| Ricky Ponting | 98* | 1 | Australia | New Zealand | Auckland | 17 Feb 2005 |
| David Warner | 89 | 1 | Australia | South Africa | Melbourne | 11 Jan 2009 |
| Rilee Rossouw | 78 | 2 | South Africa | Australia | Adelaide | 5 Nov 2014 |
| Dawid Malan | 78 | 1 | England | South Africa | Cardiff | 25 Jun 2017 |
| Oshada Fernando | 78* | 1 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Lahore | 9 Oct 2019 |
| Junaid Siddique | 71 | 1 | Bangladesh | Pakistan | Cape Town | 20 Sep 2007 |
| Scott Styris | 66 | 2 | New Zealand | Australia | Auckland | 17 Feb 2005 |
| Aaron Redmond | 63 | 1 | New Zealand | Ireland | Nottingham | 11 Jun 2009 |
| George Worker | 62 | 1 | New Zealand | Zimbabwe | Harare | 9 Aug 2015 |
| Graeme Smith | 61 | 1 | South Africa | New Zealand | Johannesburg | 21 Oct 2005 |
5. Oshada Fernando (Sri Lanka) – 78 runs
Sri Lanka’s top-order batter Oshada Fernando holds the record for most runs on a T20I debut for his country. He is known as a test specialist. Fernando made his debut in the shorter format on October 9, 2019 against Pakistan in Lahore. It was the third game of the three-match T20I series. Sri Lanka scored 147/7 in their first inning with the help of Fernando’s 78 not out from 48 balls, with 8 fours and three sixes. Pakistan managed 134/6 and lost by 13 runs.
4. Dawid Malan (England) – 78 runs
Dawid Malan is a brilliant all-format batter for the England team who came from the ranks in the last 3–4 years. The left-hander made his England debut in a T20I game on June 25, 2017 against South Africa in Cardiff. He made his debut more special with a match-winning knock. Batting first, England made 181/8 in their first inning. Malan made 78 off 44 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes. South Africa made 162/7 in their chase and lost by 19 runs.
3. Rilee Rossouw (South Africa) – 78 runs
Rilee Rossouw is ranked third on the list. The southpaw is a key member of the South African white-ball team in the modern era. And he made his T20I debut even more special. He made his T20I debut on November 5, 2014, against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Batting first, Australia made 144/6 in their first inning. In reply, South Africa made 145/3 in 19 overs with the help of Rossouw’s blitz. He made 78 off 50, with seven fours and three sixes.
2. David Warner (Australia) – 89 runs
David Warner is among the top batters across all formats in modern-day cricket. Be it a white-ball format or a red-ball format, he is always among the top. But his career started with a bang. His first game for Australia was a T20I match on January 11, 2009, against South Africa, and he announced his arrival in grand fashion. Warner smashed a 19-ball fifty and made 89 off 43, with seven fours and six sixes, to help Australia win by 52 runs. Later, Warner made his ODI and Test debuts.
1. Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 98 not out
Ricky Ponting needs no introduction to the game of cricket. He is arguably the most successful captain in the game and holds the record for the highest individual score on debut in T20 cricket (test-playing nations). The first ever T20I was played between Australia and New Zealand on February 17, 2005, in Auckland. Australia made 214/5, with Ponting scoring an unbeaten 98 off 55, with 8 fours and five sixes. New Zealand got all out for 170 and lost the game by 44 runs.