Rizwan becomes top run-scorer after bulldozing Suryakumar's T20 record

Rizwan becomes top run-scorer after bulldozing Suryakumar Yadav's T20 record.

CHRISTCHURCH (Web Desk) - Pakistan’s explosive wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan during the tri-series final against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, leapfrogged Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav’s tally of 801 runs from 23 T20I matches this year to become the leading run-getter in T20Is in 2022.

Playing in his 18th T20I of 2022, Rizwan needed 15 runs to take the number one position and, with a single on the first ball of the sixth over of the run chase, Rizwan reached the top of the table.

Rizwan, who scored 1,326 runs in 26 innings of 29 matches last year, also sits at the number one position in the ICC Men’s T20I batter rankings and has scored nine fifties this year. He finished as the leading run-getter in the Asia Cup T20I tournament by scoring 281 runs in six innings. He then continued his ace form against England at home as well, where he scored 316 runs from six matches.

Against England, the right-handed batter who opens the innings alongside skipper Babar Azam, scored four fifties, and in the ongoing tri-series in New Zealand as well, he has scored two fifties against Bangladesh to help his side reach the final.

Rizwan, who has a batting average of 52.95 in T20Is, the highest by any batter in the shortest format of the game, is by far the best T20I batter in the last couple of years.

The 30-year-old will hope to continue his ace form in the T20 World Cup as well and help his side go the distance. Rizwan finished as the third leading run-getter in the T20 World Cup last year when he scored 281 runs from six innings at an average of 70.25 and played a big role in the Men in Green’s first-ever World Cup win over India.

This year, Pakistan will open its T20 World Cup campaign against India on October 23 at Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Rizwan, who has scored 193 runs in three innings against the Men in Blue, will be hoping to continue his dominant run and deliver yet another match-winning performance.

Babar, Rizwan break another Indian T20I partnership record

Pakistan’s opening pair — Captain Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan have once again broken the partnership record of India’s Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with their phenomenal efficiency in opposition to Bangladesh on Thursday.

Rizwan and Babar partnered for 100 runs or extra for the eighth time in T20Is, which is probably the most by any pair. During Thursday’s match, they scored 101 runs collectively after Pakistan have been set to chase 174 runs in 20 overs.

Rahul and Rohit to date have 5 100+ runs opening partnerships.

Rizwan and Babar even have eight partnerships of a half-century, which takes their general tally of fifty+ partnership tally to 16 — probably the most by any pair on this planet.

Last month, in the course of the dwelling T20I in opposition to England, Rizwan and Babar collaborated to attain the third-highest T20I opening partnership in a successful trigger.

The skipper and wicketkeeper-batter each scored 203 runs collectively to tug off a convincing 10-wicket victory in opposition to England within the second T20I of a seven-match sequence.

The opening duo have added 1,034 runs as batting companions in profitable T20I chases. They are the one pair to have amassed 1,000 runs as companions in profitable chases.