Babar Azam has stormed back into the spotlight, equalling one of Virat Kohli’s most remarkable T20I records with a match-defining knock against Zimbabwe. The former Pakistan captain smashed a brilliant 74 off 52 balls in the fourth match of the Tri-Nation T20I Series in Rawalpindi, guiding Pakistan to a strong total of 195/5.
His innings, decorated with seven fours and two sixes, not only helped Pakistan dominate but also marked his 38th T20I fifty—the joint-highest in T20I history, putting him level with India’s Virat Kohli.
Babar Azam Joins Virat Kohli at the Top
With this half-century, Babar now shares the record for the most T20I fifties (38) with Kohli.
- Babar: 38 fifties in 134 matches, 127 innings
- Kohli: 38 fifties in 125 matches, 117 innings
- Rohit Sharma: 32 fifties in 159 matches
Since both Kohli and Rohit retired from T20Is after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados, Babar is now on track to claim the record outright in the coming matches.
Return to Form After a Lean Patch
Babar entered the match under pressure, having produced scores of 0, 11*, 68, 0, and 16 in his last five T20Is. His resurgence against Zimbabwe comes just weeks after he ended his two-year century drought by smashing an ODI hundred against Sri Lanka—his first in 83 international innings.
In T20Is overall, Babar has crossed the 50-run mark 41 times, compared to Kohli’s 39 and Rohit’s 37, cementing his place among the modern greats.
Pakistan Cruise Into the Final
Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, sealed a commanding 69-run victory to book their place in the final of the Tri-Nation Series.
Chasing 196, Zimbabwe were bundled out for 126, thanks to a sensational spell from Usman Tariq, who grabbed four wickets, including a stunning hat-trick in the 10th over by removing Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, and Wellington Masakadza.
With a confident Babar back in rhythm and Pakistan hitting form at the right time, the team looks poised for a strong finish in the series.
