Babar Azam Sets New Record in Men’s T20I; Shaheen Afridi Discusses T20 World Cup Preparation
In the final T20I match against New Zealand in Lahore, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 69 runs off 44 balls. This feat led him to break the record for the most fours in Men’s T20I history.
With his fifth boundary of the innings, Babar surpassed Ireland’s Paul Stirling, and added another to his tally, securing his position at the top with a total of 409 fours.
Impressively, Babar achieved this record in just 107 innings, beating Stirling’s previous record of 407 fours in 136 innings. To date, only Babar and Stirling have crossed the 400-four mark in Men’s T20Is.
Most Fours in Men’s T20Is
| Rank | Player | Innings | Fours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babar Azam (PAK) | 107 | 409 |
| 2 | Paul Stirling (IRE) | 136 | 407 |
| 3 | Virat Kohli (IND) | 109 | 361 |
| 4 | Rohit Sharma (IND) | 143 | 359 |
| 5 | David Warner (AUS) | 103 | 320 |
| 6 | Aaron Finch (AUS) | 103 | 309 |
| 7 | Martin Guptill (NZ) | 118 | 309 |
| 8 | Jos Buttler (ENG) | 105 | 263 |
| 9 | Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 80 | 260 |
| 10 | Mohammad Hafeez (PAK) | 108 | 251 |
Babar’s exceptional innings contributed to Pakistan’s impressive total of 178/5 on a challenging Lahore pitch. Despite a valiant effort from the New Zealand team, they fell short by 9 runs, resulting in a 2-2 series tie.
In the second innings, Shaheen Afridi’s remarkable bowling performance was a game-changer for Pakistan. His impact was immediately felt as he dismissed Tom Blundell in the first over, putting New Zealand on the back foot.
However, it was his stunning performance in the 14th over that truly shifted the momentum. He claimed two wickets in consecutive deliveries, effectively determining the match’s outcome. Despite a spirited effort from Josh Clarkson, New Zealand’s batting lineup struggled under pressure, and Pakistan clinched a thrilling victory.
With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 on the horizon, Shaheen Afridi shared his thoughts on the series and Pakistan’s preparation on PCB’s social media platforms.
“Firstly, credit to New Zealand. Despite their team featuring mostly domestic players, they played very good cricket,” Shaheen said. “Our team too played together after a long time after PSL. There is scope for improvement in batting, bowling and fielding for us. If you look at the New Zealand team, they didn’t score too many boundaries but milked the singles and doubles. We need to play smart and attacking cricket with the [T20] World Cup coming up and keep winning matches.”
Afridi was named Player of the Match for his 4/30 figures and also Player of the Series for taking 8 wickets in four matches.
Speaking on his performance, Afridi said, “It’s not always easy but I try to strike with the new ball and give the team some momentum. If not with the bowling, I will give my best in the field for the team because cricket is a team game.”
The series also marked the return of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, who reversed their retirement decisions following discussions with the PCB, making themselves available for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Both players had a successful return, with Amir taking three wickets in three innings and Imad scoring 26 unbeaten runs in two matches and also taking a wicket. “The return of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir has further strengthened our team,” Shaheen added. “Hopefully, we keep getting better as there are little margins going forward. We play Ireland and England in T20I series after this and there’s not much time remaining [for the T20 World Cup].”
Pakistan’s journey at the T20 World Cup begins on 6 June with a highly anticipated match against co-hosts USA in Dallas. However, the match that has captured the attention of fans worldwide is Pakistan’s showdown against arch-rivals India on 9 June, set to be played at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.