Captaining a T20 team comes with tremendous pressure as the skipper needs to make constant adjustments, rotate bowlers, and remain calm under pressure during run-chases. In addition to these responsibilities, the added burden of having to open or stabilize the innings becomes overwhelming.
However, there are some iconic batsmen who excel under this immense pressure, turning this pressure into motivation that enables them to totally crush their opponents. Scoring a century in the shortest format of cricket is a difficult task on its own.
Scoring centuries in succession while being the team’s captain is what takes a player to a legendary level. The records were recently overturned during the PSL 2026 season. Here is a look at five great captains who managed to score the maximum number of centuries while leading their teams in T20 cricket.
|
Player |
T20 Hundreds as Captain |
|
Babar Azam |
9 |
|
Faf du Plessis |
8 |
|
Michael Klinger |
7 |
|
Virat Kohli |
5 |
|
James Vince |
5 |
Image Source : Associated Press
Sitting proudly at the top of the mountain is Pakistan's premier batter, Babar Azam. He recently claimed the outright world record during the 2026 PSL campaign. Smashing his thirteenth overall T20 century also marked his ninth ton while wearing the captain's armband.
Whether for Peshawar Zalmi or the Pakistan National Team, Babar always shoulders the immense responsibility of being a leader. His technical genius and level-headedness qualify him to be the perfect anchorman at the top of the batting order.
Also Read | Who Has Captained the Most Matches in IPL History?
Image Source : ESPN
Faf du Plessis, the experienced South African scoring machine, comes at number two on this list. Being one of the most dependable captains in the world, he has scored eight centuries as a captain in international cricket. He has done so for many well-known teams. Whether it is his country or leading Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket, or Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL, his aggressive approach towards batting makes him a nightmare for any bowling attack.
Image Source : Getty Images
Australian domestic cricket legend Michael Klinger occupies the impressive third position. Despite flying under the radar internationally, Klinger built a massive legacy in franchise leagues. He blasted seven spectacular centuries while burdened with leadership duties.
The reliable opener consistently delivered massive scores for Gloucestershire in the English circuit and the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. His ability to anchor an innings while maintaining a high strike rate set the absolute gold standard for domestic T20 captains.
Image Source : BCCI
Indian batting icon Virat Kohli occupies the fourth slot, having registered five magnificent centuries as a skipper. Every single one of these leadership tons was struck while donning the famous Royal Challengers Bengaluru jersey. Staggeringly, four of those hundreds were piled up during his phenomenal 2016 IPL campaign.
Stepping onto the pitch with absolute authority, Kohli transformed the pressures of leading a massive franchise into sheer run-scoring dominance, dismantling top-tier bowling attacks with traditional cricketing shots.
Image Source : Getty Images
Tied for the fourth spot is the elegant former England international, James Vince. Also boasting five centuries as a skipper, Vince has carved out a massive reputation as a global franchise specialist. The classy top-order batter recorded the majority of his hundreds while commanding the Hampshire Hawks in the English domestic setup.
He also added to his impressive tally while leading the Gulf Giants in the ILT20. His incredible timing and fluent strokeplay make him a standout leader.
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The mere act of witnessing the legends of the game make these big centuries is ample proof that real captains are the ones who lead by example. These men shoulder the heavy burden of leading under the intense pressure of limited-overs cricket and make match-winning scores.
What is amazing about watching experienced captains build such big scores is that this instills a feeling of bravery in young players within the team. When this kind of leadership is seen at such a great level, the atmosphere becomes fearless. The end result is that this has a great effect on the uncapped players, allowing them to play fearless cricket.
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