Dinesh Karthik surpassed MS Dhoni in the list of leading run-scorers in T20 cricket while playing for Paarl Royals in the ongoing season of SA20 against Durban Super Giants on Monday (January 27). Karthik needed just three runs to go past Dhoni and the veteran scored 21 runs off 15 deliveries with two sixes to his name creating a huge record in the shortest format of the sport.
The 39-year-old now has amassed 7451 runs in 361 T20 innings at an average of 26.99 and a strike rate of 136.84 with 34 half-centuries to his name. He has smacked 258 sixes as well in his career so far to go with 718 fours. On the contrary, Dhoni has scored 7432 runs in 342 innings at an average of 38.11 and a strike rate of 135.64 with 28 fifties smashing 517 fours and 338 sixes. However, when it comes to scoring most runs as a wicketkeeper-batter, Dhoni is still ahead having amassed 7160 runs in 332 innings while Karthik scored 6547 runs in 308 innings.
Interestingly, the former Chennai Super Kings captain will have a chance to go past Karthik again in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Notably, the latter retired from all Indian cricket at the end of the 2024 IPL season.
MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik in T20 cricket
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s/100s | 4s/6s |
| Dinesh Karthik | 409 | 361 | 7451 | 26.99 | 136.84 | 34/0 | 718/258 |
| MS Dhoni | 391 | 342 | 7432 | 38.11 | 135.64 | 28/0 | 517/338 |
Karthik needed only 26 runs to go past Dhoni in this list when the second edition of SA20 started. It was expected for him to surpass the latter within a couple of games. But the Royals have performed so exceptionally that Karthik has batted only five times in eight innings so far and he couldn't perform well in the first couple of chances he got to bat.
Neverthless, the veteran has finally managed to so while notching his highest score of the season even as the Paarl Royals are on top of the table with seven wins from eight matches.