File image: Babar Azam and Virat Kohli (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Babar Azam made T20I history on Sunday, surpassing Virat Kohli to become the batsman with the most half-centuries in the format as Pakistan completed a dominant 3-0 series sweep of Australia in Lahore. Babar’s unbeaten fifty not only anchored an impressive batting display but also took his tally of T20I fifties to 39, taking him past Kohli’s 38 and underlining his consistency at the highest level.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The milestone came in the one-sided third T20I, where Pakistan piled up 207 for 6 before bowling out Australia for just 96, capping off a crushing 111-run victory. It was Pakistan’s third T20I series whitewash of Australia, following similar triumphs in 2010 and 2018, and provided a timely boost ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
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Considering his batting and the team’s form, Babar said the total was “more than competitive”, especially given the tough batting conditions. “One of the key things we always talk about is to read the conditions early and then game plan accordingly,” he said. “To me, the at-bat doesn’t matter as much as executing the team’s plan. Babar also appreciated Saim Ayub’s intent at the summit and thanked the Lahore crowd for their unwavering support.
Most fifties in T20Is
- 39 – Babar Azam
- 38 – Virat Kohli
- 32 – Rohit Sharma
- 30 – Mohammad Rizwan
- 28 – David Warner / Jos Buttler
Ayub set the tone with a smooth 56 off 37 balls, while Babar played the role of stabilizer after the first wickets and added 69 runs for the third wicket. Shadab Khan’s late onslaught – 46 off just 19 balls – propelled Pakistan in the final overs, with 70 runs coming in the last five to push the total beyond Australia’s reach.The Australian chase never took off. Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early, removing Mitchell Marsh for one, and Mohammad Nawaz then went through the middle order with career-best figures of 5 for 18. The visitors quickly collapsed, managing only 96 as Pakistan’s bowlers and fielders dominated across all departments.Captain Salman Agha celebrated a near-perfect series, while Marsh admitted Australia were completely outplayed.
