South Africa played their first official T20 international game in October 2005 against New Zealand. Though they have yet to win any T20 World Cups until now, the record of this team is pretty good all around. David Miller holds the record for the joint-fastest century in the shorter format. He has hit a 35-ball century.
Apart from that, a number of South African players have performed pretty well in this format. Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Aiden Markram, and Reeza Hendricks are some of the key players in the T20I team. In this article, we will talk about the South African batters who have scored the most runs in a calendar year in the shorter format.
Most Runs in T20 in a Calendar Year for South Africa
| Batter | Year | Mts | Runs | HS | Avg | 100 | 50 |
| Aiden Markram | 2021 | 18 | 570 | 70 | 43.85 | 0 | 6 |
| Quinton de Kock | 2021 | 14 | 524 | 72 | 43.67 | 0 | 5 |
| Reeza Hendricks | 2021 | 15 | 413 | 69 | 29.50 | 0 | 3 |
| Rassie van der Dussen | 2021 | 14 | 391 | 94* | 39.10 | 0 | 3 |
| David Miller | 2021 | 15 | 377 | 85* | 47.13 | 0 | 2 |
| Greame Smith | 2010 | 11 | 316 | 58 | 28.73 | 0 | 1 |
| AB de Villiers | 2017 | 7 | 304 | 65* | 50.67 | 0 | 2 |
5. David Miller (377 runs) in 2021
David Miller is a world-recognized name in this format. He is a highly active cricketer who plays in different T20 leagues around the world. Miller also has the record for a 35-ball century, which is joint-fastest along with Rohit Sharma. The Southpaw played 15 innings in 2021 and scored 377 runs at a decent average of 47.13 and a best of 85 not out with two half-centuries.
4. Rassie van der Dussen (391 runs) in 2021
Another South African batter with some unbelievable white-ball numbers is Rassie van der Dussen. The right-hander has an average of over 60 in ODIs and also has a good T20I record. In 2021, he was part of the 14 innings in a shorter format and scored 391 runs at an average of 39.10 and a best of 94 not out. He scored three half-centuries in 2021.
3. Reeza Hendricks (413 runs) in 2021
Star opener Reeza Hendricks is a key player in the South African white-ball squad. He has been doing a decent job at the top order for his country. In 2021, he was one of the top scorers for his country. Hendricks played 15 innings and scored 413 runs at an average of 29.50 and a best of 69. The right-hander also scored three half-centuries that year.
2. Quinton de Kock (524 runs) in 2021
Former captain Quinton de Kock is a vital cog in the South African batting lineup in the whiteball format. He has been a prolific scorer in both ODIs and T20Is for his country. The left-hander has 2277 runs in his T20I career so far. His best performance came in 2021, when he scored 524 runs in 14 innings at an average of 43.67, with five half-centuries.
1. Aiden Markram (570 runs) in 2021
The last couple years have seen Aiden Markram rise through the ranks and become the first-choice player for his country across formats. Markram has taken over the captaincy of the T20Is and is the face of the current team. He is good in all three formats. In T20Is, his best came in 2021, when he scored 570 runs in just 16 innings at a decent average of 43.85 with a best of 70. Markram also scored six half-centuries, which is the most by a South African in a year.