Babar leads record-breaking charge in final T20I against New Zealand; Shaheen reflects on T20 World Cup preparation

During Babar Azam’s brilliant innings of 69 off 44 balls against the Black Caps in the final match in Lahore, the Pakistan captain broke the record for the most number of fours in Men’s T20I history.

Babar eclipsed Ireland’s Paul Stirling when he slammed his fifth boundary of the innings, and went on to add one more, cementing his position at the top of the list with a tally of 409 fours to his name.

Remarkably, Babar achieved this feat in just 107 innings, surpassing Stirling's previous record of 407 fours in 136 innings. Notably, both Babar and Stirling stand as the only two players in Men’s T20Is to breach the coveted 400-four barrier thus far.

MOST FOURS IN MEN'S T20Is

Babar's stellar innings set the stage for Pakistan's formidable total of 178/5 on a challenging Lahore wicket. Despite the New Zealand team's valiant effort, they fell short by just 9 runs in a thriller with the T20I series ending in a deadlock at 2-2.

In the second innings, it was Shaheen Afridi's exceptional performance with the ball was the defining factor which swung the game in Pakistan's favour. His impact was felt right from the start as he struck in the very first over to remove Tom Blundell, putting New Zealand on the defensive.

However, it was his stunning display in the 14th over that truly turned the tide as he claimed two wickets in successive deliveries, effectively sealing the fate of the match. Despite a spirited effort from Josh Clarkson with the bat, New Zealand's batting lineup struggled to withstand the pressure as Pakistan held their nerve to clinch a thriller.

Reflecting on the series with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 looming, Shaheen Afridi shared his thoughts while speaking on PCB’s social media platforms.

“Firstly, credit to New Zealand. Despite their team featuring mostly domestic players, they played very good cricket.” Shaheen said.

“Our team too played together after a long time after PSL. There is scope for improvement in batting, bowling and fielding for us. If you look at the New Zealand team, they didn’t score too many boundaries but milked the singles and doubles. 

“We need to play smart and attacking cricket with the [T20] World Cup coming up and keep winning matches.

Afridi was the Player of the Match for figures of 4/30 and also the Player of the Series for 8 wickets in four matches.

Speaking on his own performance, Afridi said, “It’s not always easy but I try to strike with the new ball and give the team some momentum. If not with the bowling, I will give my best in the field for the team because cricket is a team game.”

The series also marked the returns of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, who reversed their retirement decisions following discussions with the PCB, making themselves available for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

It was a fruitful return for both players with Amir scalping three wickets in three innings while Imad scored 26 runs unbeaten in two matches and also picked up a wicket. 

“The return of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir has further strengthened our team,” Shaheen added. “Hopefully, we keep getting better as there are little margins going forward.

“We play Ireland and England in T20I series after this and there’s not much time remaining [for the T20 World Cup].”

Pakistan's journey at the T20 World Cup kicks off on 6 June with an eagerly anticipated match against co-hosts USA in Dallas. 

However, the fixture that has captured the imagination of fans worldwide is Pakistan's showdown against arch-rivals India on 9 June, which is set to be played at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York,