Pakistan captain Babar Azam added another milestone to his glittering career, surpassing India's Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in men's T20 internationals. The record came during Pakistan's emphatic nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the second T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday.
Heading into the contest, Babar needed just nine runs to overtake Rohit's tally of 4,231 runs. After being dismissed for a duck in the series opener, the Pakistan skipper made sure there were no hiccups this time, remaining unbeaten on 11 to reclaim the top spot in the format's all-time run charts.
Since making his T20I debut in 2016, Babar has represented Pakistan in 130 matches, accumulating 4,234 runs from 123 innings at an impressive
average of 39.57 and a strike rate of 128.77. His career includes three centuries and 36 half-centuries, with a highest score of 122, along with 448 fours and 73 sixes.
Rohit Sharma, who held the record for several years, now sits second with 4,231 runs in 159 appearances between 2007 and 2024. The Indian opener averages 32.05 and strikes at 140.89, boasting five hundreds and 32 fifties. Known for his explosive hitting, Rohit has struck 383 fours and 205 sixes in the format.
India's Virat Kohli remains close behind with 4,188 runs in 125 matches at a staggering average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04, while England's Jos Buttler (3,869 runs) and Ireland's Paul Stirling (3,710 runs) complete the top five.
The achievement also marks a successful return for Babar, who had not featured in T20Is since December, missing Pakistan's last 26 matches. During his absence, Pakistan experienced mixed results but managed to win the tri-series in the UAE and a home series against Bangladesh.
Babar's record-breaking feat capped a dominant outing for Pakistan, who chased down South Africa's target comfortably to level the series 1-1, setting the stage for an exciting decider.
