Former Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam has surpassed India’s Virat Kohli to secure the second spot in the all-time leading run-scorers in men’s T20I cricket. This milestone was achieved after his 41-run performance in the final T20I match against Australia in Hobart.
Babar, now with 4,192 runs, overtook Kohli’s tally of 4,188. Rohit Sharma remains at the top of the list with 4,231 runs, with Babar just 40 runs shy of breaking that record.
Babar Azam is now one of only two Pakistani batters in the Top 10 of T20I run-scorers, with Mohammad Rizwan also making the list with 3,329 runs in T20I cricket.
In the final T20I, Pakistan faced a difficult situation. After choosing to bat first, they were dismissed for a modest total of 117 runs in 18.1 overs. Babar stood out with a resilient 41 off 28 balls, including four boundaries, at a strike rate of 146.42. Haseebullah Khan also contributed with 24 off 19 balls.
Australia’s bowlers dominated, with Aaron Hardie taking 3 wickets and Spencer Johnson and Adam Zampa claiming two wickets each.
In reply, Australia chased down the target in just 11.2 overs. Marcus Stoinis led the charge with a fiery 61 from 27 balls, including five boundaries and five sixes. Captain Josh Inglis supported with 27 runs. Pakistan’s bowlers, including Shaheen Afridi, Jahandad Khan, and Abbas Afridi, each took one wicket, but they couldn’t prevent a heavy defeat.
Pakistan’s performance in the series opener saw them fall short by 14 runs, being bowled out for 134 while chasing 148. In the second T20I, rain affected the game, and Australia defended a mere 94 runs, leaving Pakistan stranded at 64/9.
Despite the setbacks in the T20I series, Pakistan’s tour started on a positive note, with the team winning the ODI series 2-1, marking their first ODI series win in Australia in 22 years.