Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam delivered a stellar performance, scoring an impressive 68 runs off just 46 balls, to lead his team to a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the final match of their three-game T20 International series in Lahore. This decisive win secured the series 2-1 for Pakistan, who successfully chased down South Africa’s target of 139-9, reaching 140-6 in 19 overs.
The series saw a compelling comeback from Pakistan. After a strong start from South Africa, who fielded a relatively inexperienced squad and won the opening game in Rawalpindi by 55 runs, Pakistan rallied with two consecutive victories in Lahore to clinch the series title.
This standout innings marks a significant return to form for Babar, who had been out of the T2I captaincy for nearly a year. His consistent performance is crucial as Pakistan gears up to fine-tune its batting lineup ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.
Following a disappointing duck in the first match, Babar showed his class by surpassing Rohit Sharma’s record for most runs in T20s with an unbeaten 11 in the second game. His confident and composed batting in the final match was particularly noteworthy, as he expertly handled the pacers despite the challenging conditions caused by heavy dew.
A critical 76-run partnership between Babar and captain Salman Ali Agha, who contributed 33 runs, laid the foundation for Pakistan’s successful chase. Reflecting on his performance, Babar stated, “This innings was long due. I backed myself, and the team believed in me. It’s about how you absorb pressure. I just wanted to play according to the situation.”
Although Pakistan experienced a brief wobble, losing four wickets for just 14 runs towards the end, Babar’s earlier heroics had already ensured a solid path to victory.
Babar Azam Overtakes Kohli
With this brilliant innings, Babar Azam has now secured the record for the most fifty-plus scores in T20 Internationals, reaching a total of 40 (comprising 37 fifties and 3 centuries). This achievement sees him surpass India’s Virat Kohli, who holds 39 such scores (38 fifties and 1 century). Notably, this was Babar’s first T20I fifty since May 2024 against Ireland.
The report includes an image showing Pakistan’s Babar Azam celebrating after scoring his fifty during the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, held in Lahore.
Top Players with Most Fifty-Plus Scores in T20Is:
| Player | Nation | 50-plus Scores |
|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | Pakistan | 37 fifties, 3 hundreds |
| Virat Kohli | India | 38 fifties, 1 hundred |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 32 fifties, 5 hundreds |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Pakistan | 30 fifties, 1 hundred |
| David Warner | Australia | 28 fifties, 1 hundred |