PAK vs NZ 1st T20I: Pakistan’s white-ball skipper Babar Azam is on the verge of claiming another significant T20I record as his side gears up to face New Zealand in a five-match T20I series. One of Babar Azam’s eyes will aim at the series win, while the other will look to close in on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the ranking of players with the most runs in T20Is.
Babar Azam is currently ranked third in the list of players with the most runs in the T20I format. He is only behind the likes of Virat Kohli, who is at the top of the chart, and Rohit Sharma.
The Pakistani skipper has piled up 3698 runs in 109 matches in the Twenty-20 format since his debut in 2016. He has averaged 41.55 in the format for Pakistan and maintained a modest strike rate of 129.12. The batter has five centuries to his name in the format to go with 29 half-centuries for Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, who is at the top of the list of most runs in T20Is, has 4037 in 117 matches. The Indian batting maestro has an average of 51.75 and a strike rate of 138.15. Kohli has struck a solitary century along with 37 half-centuries in the format.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma is placed just below Virat Kohli with 3974 in 143 innings in his T20I career which began 17 years ago. Rohit has an average of 31.79 and striked 139.97 throughout his career. Interestingly, the Indian stalwart has racked up five centuries in the format, besides scoring 29 fifties.
Babar is just 339 runs away from equalling Virat Kohli’s 4037 run mark in T20Is. Notably, Virat won’t play any T20I fixture until the start of the T20 World Cup 2024 in June. Contrary to this, Pakistan will play a five-game T20I series against New Zealand followed by a three and four-game T20I series against Ireland and England respectively before marching into the T20 World Cup 2024.
With a total of 12 T20Is in hand ahead of the World Cup in June, Babar Azam can easily surpass Virat Kohli in the list of players with the most runs in the T20I format.
Below is the complete list of the top 10 players with the most runs in T20Is:
Top 10 Players with Most Runs in T20Is
| S. No. | Player | Mat | Inns | Runs | Ave | SR | 100 | 50 | 0 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 117 | 109 | 4037 | 51.75 | 138.15 | 1 | 37 | 5 | 361 | 117 |
| 2 | Rohit Sharma | 151 | 143 | 3974 | 31.79 | 139.97 | 5 | 29 | 12 | 359 | 190 |
| 3 | Babar Azam | 109 | 103 | 3698 | 41.55 | 129.12 | 3 | 33 | 5 | 395 | 59 |
| 4 | Martin Guptill | 122 | 118 | 3531 | 31.81 | 135.70 | 2 | 20 | 3 | 309 | 173 |
| 5 | Paul Stirling | 137 | 136 | 3491 | 27.92 | 135.20 | 1 | 23 | 13 | 407 | 124 |
| 6 | Aaron Finch | 103 | 103 | 3120 | 34.28 | 142.53 | 2 | 19 | 8 | 309 | 125 |
| 7 | David Warner | 103 | 103 | 3099 | 33.68 | 142.67 | 1 | 26 | 6 | 320 | 113 |
| 8 | Mohammad Rizwan | 90 | 78 | 2981 | 48.86 | 127.55 | 1 | 26 | 3 | 255 | 81 |
| 9 | Josh Buttler | 114 | 105 | 2927 | 34.84 | 144.61 | 1 | 22 | 6 | 263 | 123 |
| 10 | Kane Williamson | 89 | 87 | 2547 | 33.96 | 123.64 | – | 18 | 4 | 242 | 58 |
PAK vs NZ T20I Series Schedule
- 18 April: 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
- 20 April: 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
- 21 April: 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
- 25 April: 4th T20I, Lahore
- 27 April: 5th T20I, Lahore
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Stats Courtesy: ESPNcricinfo