By Asif Naveed
LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam on Friday surpassed India’s Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in men’s T20 Internationals during the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Babar entered the match needing just nine runs to overtake Rohit Sharma’s tally of 4,231 runs. He achieved the milestone in style, driving Corbin Bosch through the covers for a boundary before rotating the strike steadily. The record-breaking moment came in the 12th over when Babar took a single off South Africa’s captain Donovan Ferreira to reach 4,232 runs.
The updated list of top scorers in men’s T20Is is as follows:
- Babar Azam – 4,232 runs in 130 matches*
- Rohit Sharma – 4,231 runs in 159 matches
- Virat Kohli – 4,188 runs in 125 matches
- Jos Buttler – 3,869 runs in 144 matches
The milestone marks a special comeback for Babar, who returned to the T20I side after nearly a year. The star batter was left out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad as selectors prioritized grooming new talent ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup next year.
Babar had a disappointing start to the series, being dismissed for a duck in the first T20I in Rawalpindi. However, his return to form in Lahore not only helped Pakistan but also solidified his legacy as one of the most consistent performers in the format’s history.
