Who became the first cricketer in history to score 10,000 runs in Twenty20 (T20) cricket across all recognised T20 matches and leagues?

Introduction / Context:

With the rise of Twenty20 cricket and global franchise leagues such as the IPL, Big Bash and Caribbean Premier League, new batting records have been created. One major milestone is crossing 10,000 runs in T20 cricket across all official matches and leagues. This question asks you to identify the first cricketer to reach that landmark, a common topic in modern cricket general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The record refers to total runs in all recognised T20 cricket, not just international T20 matches.
• We are looking for the first player ever to cross 10,000 T20 runs.
• Options include aggressive T20 batsmen: David Warner, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, Suresh Raina and Brendon McCullum.
• Only one of these was documented as reaching 10,000 T20 runs first.

Concept / Approach:

Chris Gayle, often called the ‘‘Universe Boss’’, is famous for his destructive batting in T20 leagues around the world. He accumulated huge numbers of runs in the IPL, CPL, Big Bash and other tournaments long before most others approached similar totals. Cricket statistics from major leagues show that Chris Gayle was the first player to cross the 10,000 run mark in T20 cricket. While players like Virat Kohli, David Warner and Suresh Raina have also scored heavily, they reached this milestone later or have not matched Gayle's overall aggregate at the same time.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Cricket statistics websites and news articles from the time of the record highlight that Chris Gayle achieved the 10,000 run milestone during a T20 league match, with headlines emphasising his status as the first player to do so. They also list his runs across multiple teams and competitions, showing a huge aggregate that others had not matched yet. This independent data confirms that Chris Gayle is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Option A (David Warner): A highly successful T20 opener, but he did not reach 10,000 runs before Chris Gayle.

Option B (Virat Kohli): Kohli has outstanding T20 and IPL records, yet he was not the first to cross the overall 10,000 run mark.

Option D (Suresh Raina): Known for consistency in IPL, but his total T20 runs lag behind Gayle's record breaking aggregate.

Option E (Brendon McCullum): One of the early T20 trailblazers and a former New Zealand captain, but he still did not reach the milestone before Gayle.

Common Pitfalls:

Students sometimes confuse IPL specific records with overall T20 records, or international T20 records with combined franchise plus international records. Always pay attention to whether a question refers to T20 Internationals (T20I) only, IPL runs only, or all T20 matches combined. Here, the wording clearly points to total T20 cricket, where Chris Gayle's long career and explosive batting made him the first to 10,000 runs.

Final Answer:

The first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in T20 cricket was Chris Gayle.