Babar Azam equals Virat Kohli's T20I record, becomes joint-quickest to 3000 runs

Babar Azam equalled Virat Kohli’s record to become the joint-fastest to 3000 T20I runs during the sixth game of the seven-match series against England on Friday, September 30.
 By CX Staff Writer Updated: Sep 30, 2022, 21:54 IST
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Babar is now the fourth-highest run-scorer in T20Is.

Babar Azam has continued his brilliance in the shortest version, and has now become the joint-fastest to 3000 runs in T20I cricket. The Pakistan skipper got to the milestone in the sixth T20I against England in Lahore on Friday, September 30, which happened to be his 81st outing in the format.

Babar drew level with Virat Kohli in terms of innings taken, after the former had reached the mark against England in March last year. The two take the pole position in all T20Is - men’s and women’s cricket combined - in terms of being the fastest to reach 3000 runs. 

Babar also surpassed Ireland's Paul Stirling to become the fourth-highest run-scorer in men's T20Is. He now has 3035 runs at 43.98 and a strike-rate of 130.09 with 27 fifties and two hundreds. The overall chart is led by India skipper Rohit Sharma (3694), followed by Kohli (3663) and Martin Guptill (3497).

Babar would eventually finish at an unbeaten 87* off 59 in Pakistan's first innings effort of 169/6 after being put in to bat. The innings studded with seven fours and three sixes was a significant contribution on a day when no other Pakistan batter crossed 31. David Willey and Sam Curran bagged two wickets each for England, while Reece Topley and Richard Gleeson returned 1/31 and 1/39 from their respective four-over spells.

Babar currently has 281 runs at 70.25 from six innings in the series thus far, a tally bettered only by his opening partner Mohammad Rizwan (315). The pair had added a record 203-run unbeaten stand in Pakistan's 10-wicket win in the second T20I last week, with Babar registering his second hundred in the format.

Pakistan currently lead the seven-match series 3-2, having won a last-over thriller by six runs at the same venue on Wednesday.

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