Babar Azam vs India: Decoding his T20I stats
Pakistan's Babar Azam is one of the finest batters to have graced T20I cricket. The 27-year-old has a never-ending appetite for runs, making him a prolific performer in the shortest format. He will be seen in action in the Asia Cup, where he will face arch-rivals India on August 28. We decode his stats against the Men in Blue in the format.
How has Babar fared versus India?
Babar has featured in only one T20I versus India. It was during the 2021 T20 World Cup, wherein he managed a 52-ball 68* in the 152-run chase. He hit six fours and two sixes and forged an unbeaten 152-run stand alongside Mohammad Rizwan (79*), handing India a 10-wicket drubbing. As for the ODIs, Babar has compiled 158 runs in five innings at 31.60.
Babar's performance against Indian spinners, pacers (T20Is)
Babar has racked up 36 runs off 27 deliveries versus the Indian spin attack on offer. He has belted those many runs while striking at 133.33, hitting three fours and two sixes. Meanwhile, he has amassed 32 runs off pacers with a strike rate of 128.00. As stated, he hasn't been dismissed against India in the format.
Babar's love affair with UAE needs a mention
Babar has thrived in the conditions on offer in UAE. The run machine has smacked 695 runs across 17 T20Is played here. He averages a monstrous 53.46 and has a strike rate of 120.65. On the boundary front, Babar has tonked 11 sixes and 62 fours. Notably, he holds the joint-most fifties in the country alongside Paul Stirling (8).
One of the greatest in T20I run-chases!
Coming to the run-chases, Babar has the 10th most runs in T20I cricket. He has slammed 1,128 runs at 43.38, with a hundred and nine fifties. Notably, he has compiled 894 of those in successful run-chases. Not to mention, he averages a phenomenal 47.05 and boasts a strike rate of 130.13 in this regard.
Fastest to 2,000 T20I runs
On April 25, 2021, Babar struck 52 against Zimbabwe to become the fastest batter to reach 2,000 T20I runs. He attained the feat in 52 innings, bettering Kohli's tally (56). Notably, it took him only four years and 280 days to attain this milestone.
Sixth-highest run-getter in T20Is
Babar ranks sixth among the leading run-getters in T20Is. Since making his T20I debut in 2016, the talented batter has slammed 2,686 runs in 74 matches. He averages 45.52 and has pummelled 26 half-centuries and a hundred (122 vs SA). He is one of the three Pakistani batters to have clocked over 2,000 runs in this format (Mohammad Hafeez: 2,514 and Shoaib Malik: 2,435).
