Babar Azam created history in Lahore by breaking India's Rohit Sharma's world record to become the all-time highest run-scorer in T20 International cricket. The landmark achievement took place when Pakistan defeated South Africa by nine wickets in the second T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium to level the series 1-1. After that disappointing duck in the opening match, Babar looked determined to bounce back. Walking in when Pakistan was close to victory, he played an innings of 11* runs from 18 deliveries, calm and composed. Though not a big knock, it was enough to carry him past Rohit Sharma's tally and place him on top of an elite list in T20I history. Babar Azam Breaks Rohit Sharma's Record With this, Babar Azam becomes the number one in the run-scorer's list in T20Is, with a total of 4324 runs from 130 matches, averaging 39.57 and with a strike rate of 128.77, and deposits with 3 tons and 36 fifties. The previous record, held by Rohit Sharma, stands at 4231 runs in 159 matches, while Virat Kohli is a close third with 4188 runs. Babar's consistency over the years has kept him among the best T20 batters in the world. With Rohit and Virat already retired from T20Is, Babar's record will now be chased by England's Jos Buttler, who is 365 runs away from Babar at the time of writing. Also Read | Watch: Saim Ayub’s Brilliant No-Look Shot for a Massive Six Top Five Run-Scorers in T20I Cricket (As of October 2025) Player Runs Matches/Innings Average SR 100s/50s Babar Azam 4324 130/123 39.57 128.77 3/36 Rohit Sharma 4231 159/151 32.05 140.89 5/32 Virat Kohli 4188 125/117 48.69 137.04 1/38 Jos Buttler 3869 144/132 35.49 148.97 1/28 Paul Stirling 3710 153/150 26.69 134.86 1/24 An interesting fact that stands out when viewing the six best run-getters is that Babar has the lowest strike rate among them (128.77). This reflects his classical approach to building innings as he mostly remains content with stability instead of aggression. Nevertheless, he is a key pillar in the team defenses due to his capability to anchor innings. Form and leadership experience of Babar will be key for Pakistan as the T20 World Cup 2026 approaches. This moment adds another milestone in his remarkable journey in world cricket.