Pakistan star batsman Babar Azam broke Virat Kohli’s long-standing record as he returned to form ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Babar scored a stunning half-century during the third T20I against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and played a key role in Pakistan’s massive 111-run victory.
Babar scored an amazing unbeaten 50* off 36 deliveries, an innings studded with three boundaries and a towering six. It was the 39th half-century of his T20I career, a milestone that helped him surpass Virat Kohli’s record for most fifties in the history of T20 Internationals, which previously stood at 38. In addition to this feat, Babar is also the top run-scorer in T20Is with 4,505 runs at 15 and a batting average of 392.128.38.
Meantime, Pakistan completed a dominant 3-0 whitewash over Australia to boost their preparations for the upcoming FIFA T20 World Cup 2026. The Salman Agha-led side inflicted Australia’s heaviest ever defeat in a T20 international, winning the third match by a stunning margin of 111 runs. Captain Salman Agha was deservedly adjudged player of the series, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 120 runs from three innings at an average of 40 and an explosive strike rate of 171.42.
Pakistan have been drawn in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, USA and India and are scheduled to open their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7. However, Pakistan will not be participating in the much-anticipated match against India as the Pakistan government has reportedly denied the team permission to face their arch-rivals on February 15 in Colombo.
ICC warns Pakistan against boycotting India
The International Cricket Council has already warned the Pakistan Cricket Board that a boycott of this marquee fixture could lead to punitive sanctions, highlighting that such a decision would be at odds with the wider interests of the game. The India-Pakistan clash remains the most anticipated match of any ICC tournament, consistently generating record global viewership, significant sponsor interest and significant broadcast revenue.
The host could reportedly suffer advertising losses estimated at between 200 and 250 million rupees, with a 10-second commercial slot for a high-profile match worth up to 40 million rupees. In purely sporting terms, a Pakistan no-show would have given India full points through transition and given them two crucial points in the group stage.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
February 2, 2026
