PAK vs AUS: Babar Azam achieves rare feat for Pakistan in T20I cricket

Former Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam becomes the first national team player to play the most number of T20I matches.

In a significant milestone for Pakistan’s cricket, Babar Azam has become the player to represent the country in the most T20I matches, surpassing Shoaib Malik. Babar now holds the record with 124 T20Is to his name, after making his appearance in the rain-affected first T20I against Australia at The Gabba on Thursday. Malik, who held the record with 123 matches, now stands second on the list, followed by Mohammad Hafeez with 119 matches, and Shadab Khan with 104.

Most T20Is Played for Pakistan:

• Babar Azam: 124
• Shoaib Malik: 123
• Mohammad Hafeez: 119
• Shadab Khan: 104

While Babar’s individual achievement was a historic moment, the match itself proved to be a difficult outing for Pakistan. Australia emerged victorious by 29 runs in a rain-shortened first T20I of the three-match series. The match, reduced to seven overs per side due to delays, saw Australia post a commanding 93/4 in their allotted overs.

Australia’s explosive start was spearheaded by openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short, who contributed 16 runs in just the first over. Fraser-McGurk was dismissed by Naseem Shah for 9, but Glenn Maxwell continued the assault, hammering 43 runs off 19 balls, which included five boundaries and three sixes. Despite losing Short and Tim David, Maxwell’s performance was a key factor in pushing Australia’s total.

Marcus Stoinis also added quick runs in the final over, smashing a rapid 21 off seven balls, helping Australia reach a total of 93/4. Pakistan’s bowlers, including Mohammad Abbas and Shaheen Shah Afridi, shared three wickets between them, but were unable to stem the tide of runs, particularly in the final overs.

In reply, Pakistan’s chase fell apart early. Despite a strong start of 12 runs in the first over, the Men in Green quickly found themselves in trouble. Xavier Bartlett’s fiery spell of 3/13 left Pakistan reeling, as key players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were dismissed cheaply. By the third over, Pakistan was at a precarious 20/5, with Bartlett’s performance and Nathan Ellis’s figures of 3/9 piling on the pressure.

A spirited 20* from Mohammad Abbas Afridi was the only resistance as Pakistan limped to a total of 64/9, falling short of the revised target of 94. Australia’s commanding performance handed them a 1-0 lead in the series, as Pakistan now look to regroup ahead of the second T20I.