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Virat Kohli equals Babar Azam’s record with fifty in T20 World Cup final

Prior to this match, Kohli had only scored 75 runs in the first seven matches of the tournament

Virat Kohli equals Babar Azam’s record with fifty in T20 World Cup final PHOTO: AFP

Virat Kohli hit a 48-ball fifty and finished with 76 off 59 against South Africa in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados on Saturday.

Prior to this match, Kohli had only scored 75 runs in the first seven matches of the tournament.

After India found themselves at 23-2, Kohli formed a crucial partnership with Axar Patel and reached his 39th fifty-plus score in men's T20I cricket, tying the record with Babar Azam.

Babar has 39 fifty plus scores in 123 matches, while Kohli took 126 matches.

Following his fifty, Kohli picked up the pace, adding 26 runs in just 11 balls to help India set a total of 176 for 7 in their 20 overs. With their 176-run total, India posted the highest-ever total in T20 World Cup finals while batting first.

The previous best was by New Zealand, when they scored 172/4 against Australia in the final of 2021 T20 World Cup.

Most fifty plus scores in men’s T20Is:

Babar Azam - 39 fifty-plus scores in 123 matches

Virat Kohli - 39 in 126 matches

Rohit Sharma - 37 in 159 matches

Mohammad Rizwan - 30 in 102 matches