Published 11:05 IST, August 31st 2020
Babar Azam equals Virat Kohli's record of 1500 runs in 39 T20I innings; watch video
Babar Azam became the joint-fastest to reach 1500 international T20I runs in 39 innings alongside Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australia's Aaron Finch.
England beat Pakistan in the second T20I of the three-match series by 5 wickets on Sunday to take an unassailable 1-0 lead with a game to go. The visitors might have suffered defeat but their skipper Babar Azam etched his name in history books on Sunday. Babar Azam became the joint-fastest to reach 1500 international T20I runs in 39 innings alongside Indian captain Virat Kohli and Australia's limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch. Notably, out of the 39 innings, Babar Azam has played 23 in Asia and 16 away from Asia while Virat Kohli has played 29 in the Indian subcontinent and 10 away from it.
England vs Pakistan 2020: Babar Azam etches his name in history books
Babar Azam scored 56 off 44 deliveries as he anchored the innings from one end. Courtesy his patient fifty, the right-hander also went past Virat Kohli to reach the top spot in highest batting averages (minimum 500 runs) in T20I cricket. Babar Azam, whose half-century went in vain on Sunnday, averages 50.90 in T20I which is the highest among any player. On the other hand, Virat Kohli averages 50.8 in the shortest format of the game.
Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer in T20 internationals. The Indian skipper has scored 2794 runs in 82 matches while India's vice-captain Rohit Sharma is a close second in the list with 2773 runs in 108 matches. The Indian duo is followed by New Zealand opener Martin Guptill, Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik, and Australia’s David Warner.
Babar Azam is now joint fastest to reach 1500 T20I runs
— 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 👑 (@imtheguy007) August 30, 2020
🇵🇰 Babar Azam - 39 inngs
🇮🇳 Virat Kohli - 39
🇦🇺 Aaron Finch - 39
Babar in his 39 inngs so far has played 23 in Asia & 16 away from Asia.
Kohli in his first 39 inngs played 29 in Asia & only 10 away from Asia.#ENGvPAK
Coming back to the second England vs Pakistan T20I, Eoin Morgan smashed a blistering 66 off 33 balls with six fours and four sixes and was well-supported by Dawid Malan who struck 54 off 36 deliveries, which helped the hosts chase down a record target at the Old Trafford in Manchester.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan scored a massive 195 riding on the back of Mohammad Hafeez's 69 off 36 and Babar Azam's fifty. However, it didn't prove to be enough as England chased the target with five balls to spare. The focus now shifts to the third T20I in Manchester where both teams have everything to play for. While England will look to secure the series 2-0, Pakistan will play to draw the series 1-1.
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Here are the highlights of the Babar Azam innings
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IMAGE COURTESY: PCB TWITTER
Updated 11:05 IST, August 31st 2020