Babar Azam equals Virat Kohli’s T20I record

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan star batter Babar Azam equalled India’s Virat Kohli’s record for the most half-centuries in T20I cricket during the tri-series match against Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

The right-handed batter notched his 38th T20I fifty in the 14th over off 43 balls, including four boundaries, helping Pakistan post a competitive total of 195-5 in their 20 overs.

T20I Half-Century Records (Most by a Batter):

• 38 – Virat Kohli (117 innings)
• 38 – Babar Azam (127 innings)
• 32 – Rohit Sharma (151 innings)
• 30 – Mohammad Rizwan (93 innings)
• 28 – David Warner (110 innings)
• 28 – Jos Buttler (132 innings)

Babar’s innings came alongside a gutsy knock from Sahibzada Farhan, as the duo shared a match-defining 103-run partnership following Saim Ayub’s early dismissal in the second over.

Farhan, the more aggressive of the pair, contributed 63 off 41 balls, including three sixes and four boundaries. Babar, playing a composed second-fiddle role, struck two sixes and seven fours in his 74-run innings from 52 deliveries.

Farhan was dismissed in the 15th over with Pakistan at 132-2. Fakhar Zaman’s late cameo added impetus, as he smashed three sixes in a quick-fire 27 off just 10 balls, pushing Pakistan close to the 200-run mark.

For Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza claimed two wickets in his four-over spell.

Chasing a daunting 196-run target, the visitors suffered early setbacks as opener Tadiwanashe Marumani fell for four in the opening over, dismissed by Naseem Shah.

The slide continued in the next over when Mohammad Wasim Jr uprooted Brian Bennett’s stumps for nine off five balls, leaving Zimbabwe struggling at 14-2 after 1.4 overs.

Zimbabwe lost their third wicket before the end of the powerplay when Faheem Ashraf removed veteran Brendan Taylor for eight, including two boundaries.

Skipper Sikandar and Ryan Burl attempted to steady the innings, putting together a 34-run partnership to revive Zimbabwe’s hopes. 

However, their resistance ended when Mohammad Nawaz dismissed Raza for 23 off 18 balls, reducing the visitors to 59-4.

The collapse accelerated in the 10th over when Usman Tariq produced a magical spell, first removing Tony Munyonga for one before claiming back-to-back wickets of Tashinga Musekiwa and Wellington Masakadza—both first-ball ducks—to complete a remarkable hat-trick. 

His brilliance left Zimbabwe reeling at 60-7 in 9.4 overs.

Nawaz continued the onslaught by dismissing Brad Evans for two, while Tariq claimed his fourth wicket by removing Tinotenda Maposa for three off 10 deliveries, leaving Zimbabwe nine down.

Ryan Burl fought valiantly, bringing up his fourth T20I fifty and taking his side past the 100-run mark in the 17th over. He remained unbeaten on a well-constructed 67 off 49 deliveries, laced with eight fours and two sixes.

Zimbabwe’s innings ended when Richard Ngarava was run out, sealing Pakistan’s comprehensive victory.

Usman Tariq finished with outstanding figures of 4-18 from four overs, while Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah and Faheem Ashraf contributed one wicket each.

For the unversed, the former captain currently leads the T20I run charts, amassing 4,392 runs in 134 matches, which also includes three centuries.