Pakistan record historic 10-wicket win to level the T20I series

Pakistan created T20 cricket history Thursday (22nd September) night to level the seven-match home T20I series with a dominating 10-wicket win against England in the second game of the series. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s record-breaking opening partnership in the T20 cricket second innings helped Pakistan to manage a record T20 cricket chase without losing a wicket.

Leading the series by 1-0, the visitors England chose to bat first in the second game of this series at Karachi. Though England managed to score 199/5 in 20 overs, Pakistan reached the target in 19.3 overs without losing a wicket.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam scored 110 not out off 66 balls with the help of 11 fours and 5 sixes. It was his second T20I century but seventh T20 century. Meanwhile, his opening partner and in-form wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan remained not out on 88 runs off 51 balls (5 fours and 4 sixes).

Earlier, Moeen Ali’s late 55 not out off 23 balls and Ben Duckett’s 43 off 22 balls played massive roles for England to set up the big first innings total. Also, openers Phill Salt (30) and Alex Hales (26) and middle-order batter Harry Brook (31) had some crucial contributions with their bats.   

Also Read | Fastest to score 1000 runs in T20 Internationals

Here are some crucial stats of the match:

• Pakistan became the first team to successfully chase the 200+ target in T20 cricket without losing any wicket.

Highest successful T20 chases without losing any wicket

• Babar Azam (8089 T20 runs) became the second fastest cricketer to complete 8000 T20 runs by completing it in 218 innings. Chris Gayle holds the fastest record of 8000 T20 runs by completing this feat in 213 innings.

• Babar became the second Pakistan cricketer (after Shoaib Malik), sixth Asian cricketer and 19th overall batter to complete 8000 T20 runs.

• Babar Azam became the first Asian cricketer to hit the seventh T20 century. Before him, Chris Gayle (22), Michael Klinger (8), David Warner (8), Aaron Finch (8), Luke Wright (7) and Brendon McCullum (7) these six players hit at least seven centuries in the T20 career.

• Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan set up the unbroken 203 runs partnership for the opening wicket. It was the first double-century partnership in a T20 chasing. These Pakistan cricketers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were also holding the previous highest partnership record for any wicket in a T20 chasing with 197 runs for the opening wicket (vs South Africa) at Centurion on 14th April 2021.

• Overall, Babar and Rizwan’s unbroken 203 runs partnership for the opening wicket was the fifth highest T20I partnership for any wicket.

Also Read | Golden Era of Pakistan Cricket Team in the 1990s

Top 5 T20I partnerships for any wicket 

• It was the seventh T20I century partnership between Babar and Rizwan. Only the Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are the other partners to manage five T20I century partnerships.