Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi achieve Pakistan record during third Ireland T20I

Pakistan has secured their first bilateral series victory since 2021 when they defeated West Indies

Pakistan's T20I captain Babar Azam and star pacer Shaheen Afridi achieved milestones during the third T20I match against Ireland on Tuesday.

Shaheen's bowling brilliance shone as he claimed three crucial wickets during the series decider, propelling him to a remarkable milestone. 

Afridi now stands as the first Pakistan bowler to secure most three or more wickets in T20Is surpassing Umar Gul and Shadab Khan.

Most three or more wickets for Pakistan in T20I:

• Shaheen Afridi - 13
• Umar Gul - 12
• Shadab Khan - 12
• Saeed Ajmal - 11
• Mohammad Amir - 10
• Haris Rauf - 9

The batting spectacle was equally breathtaking, with Babar Azam leading the charge. Azam's match-winning innings of 75 runs, embellished with five sixes and six fours, showcased his sheer dominance on the field. 

Notably, Azam's remarkable feat of scoring 25 runs in a single over makes him the first Pakistan batter to achieve such a milestone in T20Is.

Most runs in an over by Pakistan batters in T20I:

• Babar Azam vs Ireland in 2024 (6s x 4, 1s x 1) - 25 runs
• Asif Ali vs Afghanistan in 2021 (6s x 4, 0s x 2) - 24 runs
• Aamer Jamal vs Hong Kong in 2023 (6s x 3, 4s x 1, 2s x 1, 0s x 1) - 24 runs
• Khushdil Shah vs Hong Kong in 2022 (6s x 4, 0s x 2) - 24 runs
• Rizwan vs Namibia in 2021 (6s x 1, 4s x 4, 2s x 2) - 24 runs

It is worth noting that the Men in Green secured a 2-1 victory in the three-match T20I series against Ireland. This victory is significant as it marks Pakistan's first bilateral T20I series win since December 2021, when they defeated West Indies.