Babar Azam overtakes Rohit Sharma to become second leading run scorer in T20Is
May 26, 2024
Birmingham [UK], May 26 : Pakistan skipper Babar Azam overtook India captain Rohit Sharma to become the second leading run-scorer in T20Is. Babar achieved the landmark during Pakistan's 2nd T20I match against England at Edgbaston.
Babar displayed an average performance in the second inning of the match on Saturday. He scored 32 runs from 26 balls at a strike rate of 123.08 and etched his name on the record book. He hammered 4 fours but his efforts could not help the Men in Green clinch a win.
In the T20Is, Rohit played 151 matches and 143 innings where he scored 3974 runs at a strike rate of 139.97. While Babar scored 3987 runs at a strike rate of 129.91 after taking part in 118 matches and 111 innings. Only India talisman batter Virat Kohli stands ahead of Rohit and Babar. Kohli is currently the highest run scorer in T20Is with 4037 runs.
Recapping the 2nd T20I match between England and Pakistan, put to bat first by Pakistan, England lost the in-form opener Phil Salt for just 13 to all-rounder Imad Wasim, with Shaheen Afridi taking a fine catch at long-on.
England could not really get those big hits as wickets kept falling. Buttler was dismissed for 84 in 51 balls, with eight fours and three sixes as the fifth man to go by Haris. Pakistan made a solid comeback to restrict England to 183/7 in their 20 overs.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/36) and Haris Rauf (2/34) shined with the ball for Pakistan.
In the run-chase, Pakistan lost openers Mohammed Rizwan and Saim Ayub early, reduced to 14/2. Leaving aside a 53-run partnership between skipper Babar Azam (32 in 26 balls, with four boundaries) and Fakhar Zaman (45 in 21 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and a 40-run stand between Iftikhar Ahmed (23 in 17 balls, with four and two sixes) and Imad Wasim (22 in 13 balls, with two fours and a six), Pakistan just could not keep going and were bundled out for 160 runs in 19.2 overs.
Topley (3/41) and Archer (2/28) were the top bowlers for England. Moeen Ali also got two wickets.
