Babar Azam smokes successive T20I fifties against NZ: Stats
Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam smoked his second successive T20I fifty against New Zealand. He backed up his 35-ball 57 from the opener with another fine knock in the second T20I. Babar slammed 66 off 43 balls with the help of seven boundaries and two sixes. This was his seventh 50-plus score against NZ in T20Is. Pakistan, however, lost by 21 runs.
Babar's efforts went in vain
Chasing 195 in Hamilton, Pakistan were reeling at 8/1 when Babar arrived in the middle. The side was soon reduced to 10/2. Babar then joined forces with Fakhar Zaman (50) as the duo fought back with an 87-run stand for the third wicket. The former continued to bat well after Fakhar's departure and took the game deep. He eventually fell to Ben Sears.
Seventh 50-plus score against NZ in T20Is
Babar is the highest run-getter in T20I cricket for Pakistan, having raced to 3,608 runs in 106 matches at 41.95. Babar has smashed three centuries and 32 fifties in this format. This was his seventh 50-plus score against the Kiwis as he has raced to 665 T20 runs against them at 47.50 (100: 1). On NZ soil, he boasts 424 T20I runs at 53.
Most runs against NZ
With his first run in the game, Babar became the first batter to complete 600 T20I runs against the Kiwis. The batter's former teammate Mohammad Hafeez (563) and India's Rohit Sharma (511) are the only other batters with over 500 T20I runs against the Black Caps. Having played 18 T20Is, Babar also owns the most 50-plus scores against the team (7).
A look at the match summary
NZ were off to a flier with Finn Allen and Devon Conway adding 59 runs. The former, who scored 74, was also involved in a half-century partnership with Kane Williamson as the Kiwis finished at 194/8. In reply, Pakistan were 10/2 when Fakhar and Babar rescued them with fifties. However, Adam Milne's four-fer meant the Men in Green were folded for 173.
