New Delhi: Ireland have beaten Pakistan for the first time in 17 years, despite winning the opening Twenty20 International by five wickets at Dublin on Friday, with the visiting captain Babar Azam having some consolation.
Pakistan’s score to 182/6 was slightly higher due to Babar’s top-scoring knock of 57 off 43 balls; however, one ball saved Ireland from losing that day.
This innings made Babar match with India’s fightingest batsman Virat KohliThe most fifty-plus runs in a male T20I.
Virat has scored more than thirty and eight half-centuries and half-century scores,Twenty-twenty. He had been around for almost a century and seventy-five seasons while the other had been around for three centuries and thirty-five fifties.
Both Virat and Babar have hit highest score of 122 runs each in T20Is but Indian former skipper was unbeaten in his effort.
Babar is yet to reach the milestone of 4000-runs with just another hundred and twenty left before him, having scored only3880 runs compared to Virat who has amassed4037 T20I hundreds, placing him on top of all-time list.Rohit Sharma (34), Mohammad Rizwan (27) & David Warner (27) are the rest of those scoring over50 runs in T20Is.
Comparisons between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam have long been made now.Kohli is known as one of themost consistent players across formats.He has an impressive record both in Tests and ODIs His name is synonymous with cricketthat dates back many centuries. The ability to pursue a target while adjusting according to situations differentiatinghim from others makes him one helluva batsman.Babar’s styleis based on eleganceand technical soundness. In limited-overs cricket especially he has excelled where Pakistan fell short. Besides, he is currently in good form. Azam is a talented player because of his ability to perform well both as a fast and spin bowler.
Statistically, Kohli has higher averages and centuries across formats compared to . Azam. Nevertheless, these two share their own unique style and have contributed immensely towards their respective teams’ success. While Kohli’s experience covers all formats of cricket for longer timeframe, Azam has shown potential with his batting skills which keep on improving.
The much-awaited T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan will take place on June 9th.
This victory gives Ireland a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against a Pakistan side they will also face in the T20 World Cup group stages in the United States and West Indies next month.
They had previously beaten Pakistan once, having caused a major upset by winning at the 2007 50-over World Cup.
