Babar Azam sets sight on Virat Kohli’s T20I runs record

Harare, April 20

Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam will aim to become the fastest — and 11th player overall — to score 2,000 T20I runs when his team locks horns with Zimbabwe in the three-match series at the Harare Sports Club from tomorrow.

Azam, who last week was named the No. 1 player on the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) One-day International rankings, needs only 60 more runs to break India skipper Virat Kohli’s record of fastest to 2,000 T20I runs.

Kohli achieved the landmark in 56 innings. Azam, who has scored 1,940 runs at 48.50 in 49 innings, will be eyeing the feat in the opening T20I. The right-handed batsman struck his maiden T20I ton in Pakistan’s nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the third T20I at Centurion on April 14. He was also adjudged the Player of the Series for his 210 runs at 52.50 in the four-match series.

Under Babar’s captaincy, Pakistan have won four T20I series — beating Bangladesh 2-0, Zimbabwe 3-0 and South Africa 2-1 at home and 3-1 away — and drawn one against England (1-1).

If Pakistan make a clean sweep of the three-match series against Zimbabwe, they will gain one point and narrow the gap with third-ranked Australia to four points. Losing the series 3-0 will demote Pakistan to fifth spot equal with New Zealand on 255 points each.

Pakistan go into the series having won all five bilateral T20I series against Zimbabwe. — Agencies