Babar Azam surpasses Rohit Sharma to become all-time leading run-scorer in men’s T20Is
LAHORE – Pakistan’s premier batter Babar Azam etched his name in history on Friday, overtaking India’s Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in men’s T20 internationals.
The record-breaking moment came during the second T20I against South Africa at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Babar, who began the match on 4,223 runs, needed just nine more to move past Rohit’s tally of 4,231.
The 30-year-old looked in fine touch early on, caressing Corbin Bosch through the covers for a stylish boundary — a shot that has become his trademark. While his opening partner Saim Ayub took charge of the scoring, Babar remained steady at the other end.
He eventually claimed the record in the 12th over, nudging a single off South Africa skipper Donovan Ferreira towards long-off to take his total to 4,232 runs in 130 T20Is.
Top run-scorers in men’s T20Is:
Babar Azam – 4,232 runs in 130 matches*
Rohit Sharma – 4,231 runs in 159 matches
Virat Kohli – 4,188 runs in 125 matches
Jos Buttler – 3,869 runs in 144 matches
This series marks Babar’s comeback to Pakistan’s T20I setup after nearly a year. The former captain had been sidelined since the away tour of South Africa in December 2024, as the selectors opted to test younger talent ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Following Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, the selectors turned again to their most consistent performer, recalling Babar for the home series against the T20 World Cup 2024 runners-up, South Africa.
However, his return began on a sour note when he was dismissed for a duck in the first T20I at Rawalpindi. Just two days later, though, the star batter responded in typical fashion — by reclaiming a world record and reaffirming his class on the international stage.
