Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan created a world record on Thursday© AFP
It is not every day that two batters carry their bat through the innings in a high-pressure chase and help their team win the match on a canter. Pakistan captain Babar Azam and his trusted deputy Mohammad Rizwan did just that as the hosts roared back to level the 7-match T20I series at 1-1 as the duo chased down a 200-run target while staying unbeaten and also creating an all-new world record.
Babar slammed a fine century to signal his long-awaited return to form while Rizwan played second fiddle to perfection to score yet another impressive half-century as the duo put on 203* for the opening wicket, breaking their own record of 197 to script a new world record for the highest partnership in a chase in T20Is.
It is also the fifth-highest partnership for any wicket in T20Is.
Babar stayed unbeaten on 110 off 66 balls, while Rizwan scored an unbeaten 88 off 51 as the Pakistanis put on a show for the capacity crowd at the National Stadium in Karachi, just 2 days after a deflating defeat in the series opener.
The victory breaks a run of three consecutive losses for the team which had stretched from the Asia Cup.
Promoted
Babar and Rizwan had put up a similar performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup as Pakistan completed a comprehensive 10-wicket win over arch-rivals India.
The victory comes as a much-needed source of joy for the country which has been ravaged by floods and is in dire need of some inspiration.
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