Babar Azam made a remarkable comeback in the second T20I against New Zealand at Lahore, smashing 101 runs off just 58 balls to secure his third century in this format of the game.
His innings was studded with 11 boundaries and 3 sixes, and he remained unbeaten until the end. In the previous match, which was the 100th T20I for Pakistan, Babar had a disappointing performance, scoring only 9 runs. However, he seemed to be determined to make amends and attacked the opposition from the start in the second match.
On Saturday night, Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 38 runs, taking a 2-0 lead in the 5-match T20I series. During the match, Babar Azam achieved several records while scoring his century. Some of these records include breaking the record for the fastest player to reach 3,000 T20I runs, achieving the feat in just 76 innings, breaking India’s Virat Kohli’s record of 82 innings.
Additionally, he became the first Pakistani to score three T20I centuries, and his unbeaten 101 also became the highest individual score by a Pakistani in T20Is. Babar’s performance was undoubtedly a significant factor in Pakistan’s victory.
Babar Azam’s recent century in the second T20I against New Zealand was his third in T20I matches, all of which he achieved as captain of the Pakistan team. In comparison, India’s Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most centuries in T20Is, with four centuries to his name. However, when considering only the centuries scored while leading the team, Babar’s three centuries as captain put him ahead of Rohit Sharma.
Furthermore, Babar is currently tied at second place with Glenn Maxwell, Colin Munro, and Suryakumar Yadav for the most T20I centuries. These records highlight Babar’s exceptional performance as captain and as a batsman in the T20I format of the game.
Babar Azam has established himself as one of the top scorers in T20 cricket, having recorded a total of nine centuries in both domestic and international matches. However, he still remains second to the West Indian cricketing legend Chris Gayle, who holds the record for the most centuries in the format.
As a captain in T20 cricket, Babar’s recent century was his sixth in the format, surpassing the records of Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, who have five centuries each as T20 captains. These achievements showcase Babar’s exceptional talent and consistent performance as a batsman, particularly in the T20 format of the game.
In the second T20I match against New Zealand, Babar Azam won the toss and decided to bat first. His decision was justified by his own impressive century, as he led the Pakistani team to a total of 192 for 4 in their 20 overs.
Mohammad Rizwan’s contribution of 50 runs off 34 balls was also crucial in helping Pakistan reach a competitive total.
In response, the New Zealand team struggled to keep up with the required run rate and could only manage a score of 154 for 7 in their 20 overs, resulting in a 38-run loss. Mark Chapman was the top scorer for New Zealand with an impressive 65 off 40 balls, but it was not enough to secure a win for his team.