History was made in the second T20I between Pakistan and South Africa as Babar Azam ascended to the top of the all-time T20I run-scoring charts, surpassing Indian stalwart Rohit Sharma. The milestone occurred at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where Azam needed only nine runs to break Sharma’s long-standing record. He achieved this landmark swiftly, solidifying his position as one of cricket’s elite.
With his latest innings, Babar Azam has amassed 4232 runs in T20 Internationals across 122 innings. He maintains an exceptional average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of 129.14, backed by three centuries and an impressive 36 half-centuries. This places him ahead of Rohit Sharma, who finished his T20I career with 4231 runs in 151 innings, an average of 32.05, and a strike rate of 140.89, highlighted by five centuries and 32 fifties.
Jos Buttler follows closely in third place on the T20I runs list with 3869 runs from 132 innings. His statistics include an average of 35.49, a strike rate of 148.97, one century, and 28 fifties. Other notable batsmen on this prestigious list include Virat Kohli and Paul Stirling. The current standings show Babar Azam leading the pack.
In the context of the match, Pakistan delivered a commanding performance to win the second T20I by nine wickets. They successfully chased down a modest target of 110, reaching it with 41 deliveries remaining. The star of the batting lineup was Saim Ayub, who scored an unbeaten 71 from 38 balls, ably supported by Babar Azam’s 11 runs. The foundation for this victory was laid by a brilliant bowling display from Salman Mirza and Faheem Ashraf, who took three and four wickets respectively, restricting South Africa to a low total. This win evens the series at one apiece, setting up an exciting series finale on November 1st in Lahore.