• Babar Azam matched Virat Kohli’s record.
• Babar scored 57 runs in the match.
• Babar’s return to captaincy was controversial.

Despite losing the opening T20I, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam made history by matching Virat Kohli’s record for the most fifty-plus scores in men’s T20Is. Babar delivered a striking 57 off 43 balls, including eight fours and a six, helping Pakistan to a total of 182/6 in 20 overs.

In pursuit of 183, Andrew Balbirnie’s crucial 55-ball 77 enabled Ireland to reach 183/5 in 19.5 overs. This victory gave Ireland a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match series.

Post-match, Babar commented, “I think we started no good, in the first 6 overs, the pitch is two-paced. But we recovered very well, 190 is a par score and we lost in the bowling and fielding. We did not execute our plans, few sloppy fielding, had we taken that catch… That’s why they win because they attack us. [on if they will practice tomorrow] Let’s see, let’s talk with the coach.”

Even though Pakistan was defeated, Babar’s batting performance should boost his confidence. Both Babar and Virat now hold 38 fifty-plus scores in T20Is. Meanwhile, Kohli has one century and 37 fifties in T20Is, while Babar has three centuries and 35 fifties.

Both players also share a top score of 122 in T20Is, with the Indian batter remaining not out. Babar is yet to surpass the 4000 run mark in T20Is, a milestone Kohli has already achieved with 4037 runs. Rohit Sharma (34), Mohammad Rizwan (27), and David Warner (27) follow in the list of most fifty-plus T20I scores.

Babar’s return to the captaincy of Pakistan stirred up controversy. The way PCB replaced Shaheen Shah Afridi with Babar caused upset, especially as this is Babar’s second term as Pakistan’s captain. The controversy was further fueled when Afridi expressed anger over a statement on PCB’s website that attributed quotes to him that he did not say.

In a press conference, Babar clarified that he and Shaheen share a strong bond. “I want to make clear that Shaheen [Afridi] and my bond is not recent, it goes back a long way,” Babar stated.

“We support each other in every situation. Our aim is to put Pakistan first, and how to put Pakistan’s name up in lights. We don’t think of individual glory, and thankfully, those elements are not present in my team,” he added.

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