Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam has closed in on star Indian batter Virat Kohli's all-time T20I record after completing 4000 runs during the 4th T20I against England on Thursday. Babar became only the second batter after Kohli to complete 4000 runs with his 13th run in the fourth T20I at Kennington Oval in London. Kohli reached the milestone in 107 innings, 5 innings quicker than Babar.
Babar Azam showcased his batting prowess with a scintillating 36-run innings off just 22 balls. Demonstrating his class and aggressive intent, Babar's knock included five elegant fours and a towering six, leading to a strikingly high strike rate of 163.64. Babar's performance was pivotal in Pakistan's strong start, as he and fellow opener Mohammad Rizwan built a solid foundation with a 59-run partnership for the first wicket.
HIGHEST RUN SCORER IN T20IS
1. Virat Kohli - 4037 runs in 117 matchesÂ
2. Babar Azam - 4022 runs in 119 matches
3. Rohit Sharma - 3974 runs in 151 matches
4. Paul Stirling - 3589 runs in 142 matches
5. Martin Guptill - 3531 runs in 122 matches
Playing his 119th T20I and 112th innings, Babar's current tally stands at an impressive 4,023 runs, maintaining a robust average of 41.05 and a strike rate of 130.15. This achievement places him amongst the elite in the world of T20 cricket. Babar has registered three centuries and 36 fifties, underscoring his ability to play both anchoring and aggressive roles as the situation demands. Additionally, Babar has become the first and only batter to hit over 400 fours in T20Is, with 432 boundaries to his name, further showcasing his technical finesse and precision.Â
During this match, Babar also surpassed Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma's tally of 3,974 runs, further cementing his place in the upper echelons of T20 cricket. Despite this achievement, he still trails behind India's Virat Kohli, who remains the top scorer in T20Is with 4,037 runs at an average of 51.75.
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