Melbourne Renegades skipper the second fastest to pass the 5000 mark in T20s
Finch races to 5000 T20 runs
Melbourne Renegades batsman Aaron Finch’s match-winning half-century on Thursday has seen him become the second-fastest player to reach 5000 runs in Twenty20 cricket, and fastest Australian to the mark.
Finch reached the milestone during the course of his brisk 63 off 37 balls for the Renegades in the KFC Big Bash League, which helped his team to a dominant 39-run victory over the Sydney Thunder.
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Finch, who made his T20 debut nine years ago for Victoria against a touring Indian side, reached 5000 runs in 159 innings, second only to West Indies superstar Chris Gayle, who passed the mark in just 132 innings, getting there during a stint in the Indian Premier League in 2013.
"That’s pretty good, isn’t it? That’s 'stat of the day'," Finch said when told of the record following the match.
The 30-year-old's innings has also given him a chance to become the highest scorer in the league’s six-season history.
Finch has amassed 1270 runs in 33 innings in the BBL, to be just four runs behind current record-holder Michael Klinger (1276 in 43 innings).
Finch's career stats suggests he loves playing in Melbourne.
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He has 741 runs at an average of 57.00 at Etihad Stadium and 575 runs at 52.27 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
His combined tally across the two Melbourne venues is 1316 runs at an average of 54.83, while his only BBL hundred also came at the Etihad Stadium – an unbeaten 111 against Melbourne Stars in 2012.
"I have played more games in Melbourne than anywhere. I love playing here.
"There is always a great view and there is never any reflection or anything like that here. It is a beautiful place to bat."
Finch also passed 1000 runs in Twenty20s in 2016 on Thursday night.
The only other time he's scored 1000 runs in a calendar year was in 2014, when he accumulated 1172 at 30.84.
This year he has 1029 runs and needs 144 more to topple his 2014 record, with just one more innings to go, against the Scorchers at the Etihad Stadium on December 29.
Given his T20 record in Melbourne, it can't be ruled out.