LAHORE: Pakistan’s batting maestro Babar Azam etched his name in cricket history on Friday, overtaking India’s Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in men’s T20 Internationals.
The landmark moment came during Pakistan’s second T20I against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Babar, who started the match with 4223 runs, needed just nine to surpass Rohit’s tally of 4231.
Displaying his trademark elegance, Babar opened his innings with a stylish cover drive off Corbin Bosch before bringing up the record in the 12th over, nudging a single off South Africa captain Donovan Ferreira to long-off.
With this feat, the 30-year-old now tops the all-time T20I run charts:
Most Runs in Men’s T20Is (as of Nov 2025):
Babar Azam – 4232 runs in 130 matches*
Rohit Sharma – 4231 runs in 159 matches
Virat Kohli – 4188 runs in 125 matches
Jos Buttler – 3869 runs in 144 matches
This series also marks Babar’s return to T20I cricket after nearly a year. The former captain was left out of Pakistan’s squad for the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, as selectors focused on blooding new talent ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
After a disappointing duck in the series opener in Rawalpindi, Babar bounced back in style to reclaim his spot at the top of the global charts — reaffirming his stature as one of the finest modern-day batters in the game.
