Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam made a remarkable comeback in the third T20I against Australia at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, scoring a brisk 41 off 28 balls. Despite his valiant effort, Pakistan suffered a seven-wicket defeat, resulting in a 0-3 series whitewash. However, Babar’s knock saw him climb to second place on the all-time T20I run-scorers list, surpassing Virat Kohli and closing in on Rohit Sharma’s world record.
Babar’s Recovery After Early Struggles
Babar endured a tough start to the series, managing only three runs in each of the first two matches. However, he rediscovered his form in the third game, smashing four boundaries in his 28-ball innings. His efforts ended in the 13th over when he fell to Adam Zampa, but not before rewriting the record books.
With this performance, Babar moved past Virat Kohli’s 4188 T20I runs, reaching 4192 runs in just 119 innings. He now trails Rohit Sharma, who tops the chart with 4231 runs from 159 matches, by a mere 40 runs.
Pakistan’s Collapse and Australia’s Dominance
Despite Babar’s heroics, Pakistan suffered a batting collapse, managing only 117 runs in 18.1 overs. Aaron Hardie was the pick of the Australian bowlers with figures of 3/21, while Adam Zampa and Spencer Johnson chipped in with two wickets each.
Australia’s chase got off to a shaky start as they lost openers Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk within four overs. However, Marcus Stoinis took control of the game with a stunning unbeaten 61 off 27 balls. His explosive knock featured five sixes and as many fours, including a devastating over against Haris Rauf, where he scored 22 runs. Australia reached the target with 8.4 overs to spare.
Pakistan’s ODI Success Overshadowed
Although Pakistan had earlier clinched the ODI series 2-1, their T20I performance left much to be desired. The whitewash against Australia highlighted the need for greater consistency, even as Babar Azam’s achievements provided a silver lining.
Babar’s rise in the T20I run-scoring charts reaffirms his standing as one of the best batters in the format, and with just 40 runs separating him from the top spot, he looks poised to claim yet another milestone in his illustrious career.
