What a year it was! Whether you call it the King Kohli year, the Tamim T20 Tidal Wave, or simply the Kohli‑Tamim battle, the statistical duel between them—and a few electrifying flashes from others—gave us a gripping storyline. Let’s rewind to 2016 and unpack who deserves that “best T20 batsman in the world” tag—and how that answer isn’t just numbers, but emotion, context, hero‑moments and consistency all rolled into one.
🏏 Virat Kohli: The Complete Maestro of T20I
According to ESPNcricinfo’s cumbersome—but revealing—“T20I weighted score” metric, Virat Kohli topped the charts in 2016 by a mile: a score of 155.00 versus the next best Glenn Maxwell’s 60.58
Reddit
Sportskeeda
+3
ESPN Cricinfo
+3
ESPN Cricinfo
+3
.
His year in T20 internationals was nothing short of cinematic:
641 runs in 15 T20Is
A jaw‑dropping average of 106.83
A strike‑rate of 140.26
ESPN Cricinfo
+1
Reddit
+1
He didn’t just score runs—he dominated chases, anchored innings under pressure, and redefined what a T20 chase‑master looks like. His innings of 82 off 51 against Australia, in a virtual quarter‑final at Mohali, was described by many as his finest T20 knock ever ESPN Cricinfo Reddit Reddit . Then came the semi‑final: 89 off 47 to almost single‑handedly carry India to another global final
Reddit
+7
Reddit
+7
ESPN Cricinfo
+7
.
Fans on social media recall it in glowing terms—one writes:
“That was the T20 WC year. Kohli was a different beast in that World Cup. He nearly won us the entire world cup.”
Reddit
+4
Reddit
+4
Reddit
+4
Similarly, another says:
“…he saved the Indian Cricket team from getting humiliated… Koach literally saved us…”
Reddit
+1
Reddit
+1
His numbers weren’t just lofty—they came at the highest stakes. For many analysts and fans alike, 2016 in T20I cricket was Virat Kohli’s defining year.
Tamim Iqbal: The Unconventional Powerhouse
If Virat was clinical, Tamim Iqbal was explosive. At the ICC World T20 2016 in India, Tamim ended up highest run‑scorer of the tournament with 295 runs in 6 innings, averaging 73.75 at a strike rate of 142.51—including a sparkling 103 against Oman*, the first T20I century for Bangladesh
Cricket
+15
Wikipedia
+15
Sportskeeda
+15
.
That tally edged out Kohli’s tournament figure (273 in 5 innings at a massive 136.50 average)
Reddit
+6
Wikipedia
+6
Cricbuzz
+6
. Tamim was the reliable opener who could carry Bangladesh into the Super 10 stage, blasting them into position—his ton and consistent totals gave Bangladesh a backbone.
He was equally a fan‑favorite: elegant, fearless, and the one winner in Bangladesh where batting expectations often wavered.
Glenn Maxwell: The Gun of Raw Power
Glenn Maxwell deserves a mention. His signature innings came in September 2016 in Australia; 145 off 65 balls* against Sri Lanka in Kandy—then the second highest score in T20I history, at a 174+ of strike rate
Wikipedia
. Across 11 T20Is in 2016, he scored 435 runs at an astounding strike‑rate of 174.7, averaging 48.33
Sportskeeda
.
His appeal was pure – effortless innovation, flick‑and‑cut, reverse‑scoops, back‑of‑the‑hand slog sweeps—you name it. He wasn’t as consistent over time as Kohli, but performed in bursts that felt like cannon fire.
Others in the Frame
Hashim Amla had a quietly incredible year: across seven T20Is, he piled up 308 runs at an average of 77 with SR of 146+, including multiple fifties and a top score of 97*
Sportskeeda
. Not flashy, but devastatingly effective.
Quinton de Kock and Jos Buttler had their gloried moments. De Kock’s all‑round consistency won him the ODI Cricketer of the Year in ICC’s awards, but in T20 he amassed heaps of runs too. Buttler and the Englishmen were notable, but none matched either Kohli’s chasing mastery or Tamim’s tournament top‑scoring.
Awards and Recognition
The ICC didn’t have a formal T20I Batter of the Year award in 2016, but ESPNcricinfo’s analytics crowned Kohli by their weighted scoring method
ESPN Cricinfo
. Meanwhile, Carlos Brathwaite won the T20I Performance of the Year, but that was for his heroics as a lower‑order hitter in the final over—not overall batting consistency
Wikipedia
+15
icc
+15
cricketworld.com
+15
.
In broader awards, Virat was selected as captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year, but T20I honors in official ICC listings were lacking in specifics
Wikipedia
ESPN Cricinfo
.
Comparing Styles & Contributions
Batsman Matches (T20I) Runs Avg SR (%) Notables in 2016
Virat Kohli 15 645 106.83 140.26 Chases vs Aus & WI, WC semis heros
Tamim Iqbal T20I fewer 295 (WT20) 73.75 142.51 Tournament‑leading WT20 scorer
Maxwell 11 435 48.33 174.7 145* vs SL and brutal scoring bursts
Amla 7 308 77.00 146.6 Consistent, technically polished
Kohli delivered across formats and conditions, especially in chase situations. Tamim lit up one marquee tournament with consistency and crowd‑pleasing strokes. Maxwell melted bowling attacks with pure power and style; Amla stood firm in classy fashion.
The Verdict: Who was the best?
If you ask: “Who had the single best overall T20 batting year in 2016?” – Virat Kohli edges it. His weighted score, matchups in crucial matches, tournament consistency, and sheer volume of runs in high‑pressure situations mark him as the standout.
But if the question is: “Who was the most potent and high‑impact over a major tournament?” Tamim Iqbal walks away the winner at the WT20—with pure runs when it mattered most for Bangladesh.
If flair, fireworks, and pure entertainment were your criteria, then Maxwell might win your heart—but lacking the consistency or impact in global knockouts.
So here’s my take, in human terms:
Virat Kohli: A marathon runner who surged at the end, pacing India through tense chases, never bending under pressure. Averaging over 100 in T20Is over a large sample, with innings that felt decisive.
Tamim Iqbal: A tournament dominator, powerful opener, record‑setter, and the star for an underdog nation at the biggest contest.
Glenn Maxwell: The incendiary showman, whose shots lit up the stadium whenever he got going, even if not every game.
Let’s humanize it—three imagined scenarios from 2016:
You’re in Mohali, India vs Australia, global eyes watching Brazil’s fans streaming in: India needs 200. Virat walks in at 120/4. You hold your breath. He scores 50‑odd, not flashy, but calm, using gaps, guiding the chase. You sense you’re watching not just a knock—but the steady hands that win tournaments.
In Nagpur, Bangladesh vs Oman in group stage: Tamim walks out, hitting a ton. Hundreds of young Bangladesh fans chant his name. You feel the energy—this stuff doesn’t happen for them often. He leaves stadium roaring; Bangladesh mean business.
In Kandy, Maxwell storms Sri Lanka’s bowling: 145* off 65. Shots everywhere. You blink, and you’ve lost your seat. When it’s done, you’re breathless—wondering how someone can play like that.
Final Word
For consistency + match‑winning under pressure in international T20s, Virat Kohli was unmatched in 2016.
For raw run‑machine and leading a side at a global T20 final, Tamim Iqbal deserves huge respect.
For spectacle and sheer power, Maxwell was electrifying.
But, if you want to crown one: Virat Kohli was the clear pick for “best T20 batsman in the world” in 2016. The numbers, the weight in big games, the run count—all backed by influential innings when India’s back was to the wall. His 155 weighted index left the rest far behind
Reddit
+3
Reddit
+3
Reddit
+3
ESPN Cricinfo
+4
Reddit
+4
ESPN Cricinfo
+4
Reddit
+2
Reddit
+2
Sportskeeda
+2
ESPN Cricinfo
.
Closing Thoughts
2016 was a year of contrasts in T20 batting:
Kohli: calm, composed, lethal in chases.
Tamim: aggressive, national hero, big tournament runs.
Maxwell: flamboyant, game‑changer, highlight‑reel material.
Amla: understated, reliable, technically superb.
Each brought something special to the T20 stage. But for overall yardstick—pressure, volume, consis