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Saturday December 14, 2024

'King' Babar Azam breaks Virat Kohli's record by becoming fastest batsman to 2,000 T20I runs

Babar Azam took 52 innings to score 2,000 T20I runs, becoming the fastest batsman to achieve the feat

By Web Desk
April 25, 2021
Pakistani skipper Babar Azam. AFP/File

Pakistani skipper Babar Azam made history once again by shattering a record previously held by Virat Kohli, becoming the fastest batsman to get to 2,000 T20I runs. 

Azam was able to achieve the impressive feat from just 52 T20I innings whereas Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who previously held the record, managed to do the same in just 56 innings.

This makes Azam the third Pakistani batsman to achieve the feat, with Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez the other two who scored 2,000 T20I runs.

He is the 11th cricketer to score 2,000 T20I runs.

Its official: Babar Azam topples Virat Kohli to become world's no 1 batsman

The feat from the Pakistani skipper comes shortly after he toppled Indian captain Virat Kohli to become the top-ranked ODI batsman in the world, earlier this month.

Azam now sits on top of ICC's ODI batsman rankings with 865 points and Kohli is number 2 with 857 points.

With the new rankings, Azam ended Kohli’s five-year reign at the top of the ICC rankings. The Indian skipper was on top of the table since October 2017.

The Pakistan skipper propelled to the top of the table after scoring 228 runs in the recently concluded ODI series between Pakistan and South Africa.

This was the first time Azam has ranked as the number one ODI batsman in the world.

The last Pakistani to achieve the feat was former captain Mohammad Yousuf in 2003.

As per the PCB, Azam is the fourth Pakistan batsman after Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad and Mohammad Yousuf, to reach the top of the ODI batting table.