Even though Pakistan didn’t win the first T20I match, Captain Babar Azam achieved a remarkable milestone by matching Virat Kohli’s record for the most fifty-plus scores in men’s T20Is.
Babar played a fantastic innings, scoring 57 runs off 43 balls, including eight fours and a six, helping Pakistan reach a total of 182/6 in their 20 overs.
In their chase of 183 runs, Andrew Balbirnie played a crucial role for Ireland, scoring 77 runs off 55 balls, leading his team to victory as they reached 183/5 in just 19.5 overs, giving them a 1-0 lead in the ongoing series.
After the match, Babar talked about the team’s performance, recognizing the slow start and the challenging pitch conditions. Despite the loss, he remained positive about the team’s ability to bounce back and mentioned areas where they need to improve, especially in bowling and fielding.
Even though Pakistan lost, Babar’s batting performance will surely boost his confidence. Both Babar and Virat Kohli now share the record for the most fifty-plus scores in T20Is, with 38 each. While Kohli has one century and 37 fifties, Babar has three centuries and 35 fifties in his T20I career.
