Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam overtook India’s Virat Kohli’s mark in the third and final T20I against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Babar’s match-winning 68 off 47 balls, with nine fours, took him to 40 fifty-plus scores in T20 internationals, surpassing Kohli’s 39. India’s Rohit Sharma is third with 37, while Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is fourth on 31.
In the final match, Pakistan chased down a modest target of 140 runs to claim a six-wicket win with six balls to spare, thanks to Babar’s steady half-century.
The hosts suffered an early setback when opener Saim Ayub departed for a six-ball duck, but Babar and Sahibzada Farhan steadied the innings with a 36-run partnership. Farhan contributed 19 off 18 balls before falling in the seventh over.
Babar then teamed up with skipper Salman Ali Agha and added a brisk 76-run stand for the third wicket. Babar top scored with 68 while Agha chipped in with a quick 33 off 26 balls.
Despite a late stumble of 133 for six, Faheem Ashraf and Usman Khan kept their cool to take Pakistan home.
Earlier, Pakistan’s decision to bowl first proved effective as Shaheen Afridi and Salman Mirza led a disciplined bowling effort to restrict South Africa to 139 for nine in 20 overs.
Both teams will now head to Faisalabad for a three-match ODI series scheduled from November 4 to 8.
Most fifty-plus scores in T20I career:
- Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 40
- Virat Kohli (India) – 39
- Rohit Sharma (India) – 37
- Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan) – 31
- David Warner (Australia) – 29
- Jos Buttler (England) – 29
