Babar Azam overtakes Virat Kohli for major T20I record, hands Pakistan timely T20 World Cup boost

NEW DELHI: Babar Azam etched his name into T20I history on Sunday, surpassing Virat Kohli to become the batter with the most half-centuries in the format, as Pakistan completed a dominant 3–0 series sweep of Australia in Lahore. Babar’s unbeaten 50 not only anchored a commanding batting display but also took his tally of T20I fifties to 39, moving him past Kohli’s 38 and underlining his consistency at the top level.

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The milestone came in a one-sided third T20I where Pakistan piled up 207 for 6 before bowling Australia out for just 96, sealing a crushing 111-run victory. It was Pakistan’s third T20I series whitewash of Australia, following similar triumphs in 2010 and 2018, and provided a timely boost ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.




Reflecting on his knock and the team’s form, Babar said the total was “more than competitive”, especially given the challenging batting conditions. “One of the key things we always talk about is reading the conditions early and then shaping the game plan accordingly,” he said. “For me, the batting position doesn’t matter as much as executing the team’s plan.” Babar also praised Saim Ayub’s intent at the top and thanked the Lahore crowd for its unwavering support.

Most fifties in T20Is

• 39 - Babar Azam
• 38 - Virat Kohli
• 32 - Rohit Sharma
• 30 - Mohammad Rizwan
• 28 - David Warner / Jos Buttler

Ayub set the tone with a fluent 56 off 37 balls, while Babar played the role of stabiliser after early wickets, adding 69 runs for the third wicket. Shadab Khan’s late assault — 46 off just 19 balls — powered Pakistan through the final overs, with 70 runs coming in the last five to push the total beyond Australia’s reach.

Australia’s chase never took off. Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early, removing Mitchell Marsh for one, and Mohammad Nawaz then ran through the middle order with career-best figures of 5 for 18. The visitors collapsed rapidly, managing only 96 as Pakistan’s bowlers and fielders dominated across all departments.

Captain Salman Agha hailed a near-perfect series, while Marsh admitted Australia had been comprehensively outplayed.


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