Babar Azam, Pakistan’s captain, proved himself to be one of the top limited-overs batsmen in the world in a nail-biting series decider against Ireland. On the day of the decisive game on Tuesday, Babar’s extraordinary performance did not only make it possible for Pakistan to win but also brought joy to the fans and pundits who were left amazed.
The T20I series was tied 1-1 and Pakistan were under a lot of pressure to give a great performance, especially after losing the first game. Babar performed well, thus he scored 75 runs out of the total balls he faced of 42. His innings was made up of five high sixes and six smooth fours, which enabled Pakistan to chase the target of Ireland that was 179 runs by the end of three overs.
The highlight of the match was the 14th over in which Babar faced the Irish leg-spin bowler Benjamin White. It was a show of unbeaten but still calculated batting as Babar scored four consecutive sixes. The audience cheered enthusiastically, witnessing Babar’s power and precision. His onslaught not only shielded him but also demonstrated his superior leadership qualities.
Babar’s innings was not just about boundaries; it was a superb display of anchoring the innings and a continuous barrage on the opponents. His teamwork with Rizwan Mohammad of 139 runs, which laid the groundwork for Pakistan’s successful run.
Thus, Babar joined his list of records which reached over 200 sixes in T20 cricket. His current records include 10,752 runs, 90 fifties and 11 centuries in T20s, with an average of 44. In 2006, a team had a strike rate of 129. 63. His 36th T20I fifty puts him in the company of the few batsmen, whose 90-plus T20 fifties he is one of, David Warner and Virat Kohli.
Now Pakistan is thinking about a difficult T20I series against England, which will start on May 22. Fans and analysts in anticipation of Babar Azam’s performance against one of the cricket’s best countries are looking forward to him making a similar success and thus, helping Pakistan to win further victories.
