Pakistan captain Babar Azam completed a fifty (57 off 43 balls) against Ireland in the first T20I on Friday (May 10), equalling batting great Virat Kohli’s tally of most fifty-plus scores (38). That, however, failed to get them the win as the hosts registered their maiden T20I victory over Pakistan by five wickets in the first of the three-match series.
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While the former India skipper has scored 37 fifties and one hundred in this format, Babar has 35 half-centuries and three tons to his name. Current India captain Rohit Sharma (34), Pakistan keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan (27) and Australia legend David Warner (27) are the following players on the list. Incidentally, Virat and Babar’s highest score in T20Is is 122.
Meanwhile, the Babar-led Pakistan side is currently on the UK Tour, where they will play seven T20Is – three against Ireland and four against England (starting May 22 in Leeds), while Kohli is busy plying his trade for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the ongoing IPL 2024.
Ireland stunned Pakistan in Dublin
Having beaten the Asian giants in the ODIs before – during the infamous 2007 World Cup match in the Caribbean, Ireland scripted history again by thrashing Pakistan in the T20Is for the first time in Dublin the other night.
Winning the toss and sending the visitors to bat first, the hosts got the big wicket of Rizwan run out inside the powerplay. Saim Ayub and Babar stitched an 85-run stand for the second wicket before Gareth Delany removed the rookie opener on 45 off 29 balls. Babar departed soon after, while three wickets fell quickly, pushing Pakistan’s back against the wall.
However, Iftikhar Ahmed’s late cameo helped them score 182 for six in 20 overs.
The experienced Irish openers, Andrew Balbirnie and captain Paul Stirling showed intent early on, but Pakistan stayed on the top with two early wickets.
Harry Tector brought some stability as he, alongside Balbirnie, added 77 for the third wicket, keeping the home side alive in the chase.
Late cameos from George Dockrell, Delany and Curtis Campher helped Ireland stay ahead during the fag end of the innings, but Balbirnie’s 77 was the highlight of the innings.
With over ten needed off the final over, two fours off Campher’s bat helped Ireland script history as they went 1-0 up in the series. The second T20I will take place on Sunday (May 12) at the same venue.
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