Babar Azam dethrones Rohit Sharma to become World No.1; Wasim Akram drops outrageous claim

Star Pakistan batter Babar Azam created history during the second T20I of the three-match series against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday (October 30). The right-handed batter surpassed former Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to become the leading run-getter in men’s T20 internationals.

Pakistan levelled the series with a nine-wicket win over South Africa. Babar, who scored a duck in the first match, played with a cautious approach with the hosts nearing a win. The batter scored an unbeaten 11 runs from 18 balls, while Saim Ayub stole the show with a stunning 71 off 38 balls to seal the victory.

Babar Azam Surpasses Rohit Sharma to Become Leading Run-Getter in T20Is

Babar Azam surpassed Rohit Sharma to become the format’s leading run-scorer. He has scored 4,234 runs in 130 matches at an average of 39.57 and a strike rate of 128.77, including three centuries, 36 fifties, and a highest score of 122.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

However, Babar’s strike rate is the lowest among the top six run-getters in T20Is and one of only two below 130 inside the top 10, the other being fellow Pakistani opener Mohammad Rizwan.

Most Runs in T20I Cricket:

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Retired From T20Is After T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma scored 4,231 runs from 159 games at an average of 31.34 and a strike rate of 140.90, including five centuries and 32 fifties. Virat Kohli scored 4,188 runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.69, including a century and 38 fifties. The duo retired from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup.

England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler has scored 3,869 runs at an average of 35.49 and a strike rate of 148.97, including a century and 28 half-centuries.

Ireland batter Paul Stirling is in fifth place on the list of leading run-getters. He has amassed 3,710 runs in 153 matches at an average of 26.69 and a strike rate of 134.86, including one century and 24 half-centuries.

Babar Azam Still Has a Lot of Cricket Left in Him - Wasim Akram

Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has backed Babar Azam amid criticism over his performances. Akram stated that fans and critics should support Babar and added that he can continue achieving big things for the national side with proper backing.

“Babar still has a lot of cricket left in him and can achieve much for Pakistan. We all need to support him,” Akram told Cricket Pakistan.

Babar Azam’s recent form has been far from his best, with the star batter battling inconsistency across formats. After missing multiple T20I series, including the Asia Cup, he returned for the ongoing three-match series against South Africa.

Before the T20I series, he struggled against South Africa in the Test series, where he managed only 131 runs at an average of 32.75.

Also read: Watch: Josh Inglis grabs a stunning flying catch to remove Shivam Dube in Melbourne T20I