The Pakistan national cricket team star batter Babar Azam established a new T20I record on Sunday by surpassing Virat Kohli to become the player with the most T20I half-centuries. The landmark achievement occurred when Pakistan completed their 3–0 series victory against Australia by winning the final match in Lahore which strengthened their confidence before the T20 World Cup.

Babar Azam’s milestone knock powers Pakistan to dominant series sweep

Babar Azam scored an unbeaten 50 during the third T20I match which established Pakistan's dominant batting performance and brought his total T20I half-centuries to 39 which made him the all-time player with most half-centuries in the format. His batting performance helped the team establish momentum after losing their first wickets by building a strong foundation which led to their successful conclusion. Pakistan finished their innings with a total of 207 runs for 6 wickets which proved to be an unreachable target for Australia.

The match itself turned into a one-sided affair. The Australian team lost its batting rhythm when Shaheen Shah Afridi took his first wicket and then Mohammad Nawaz destroyed their batting order by achieving his best T20I performance of 5 wickets for 18 runs. Pakistan achieved a decisive 111-run victory over Australia when they dismissed the visiting team for 96 runs in their third T20I series which marked the third time Pakistan had achieved a clean sweep against Australia in T20I matches after their previous successes in 2010 and 2018.

ALSO SEE: Former RCB star to be named Afghanistan's mentor for T20 World Cup 2026

Babar explained during the post-game interview that players need to understand how to read pitch conditions because this skill helps them execute match plans better than achieving personal records. He praised Saim Ayub for his aggressive batting style at the beginning of the innings and he thanked the Lahore audience for their continuous support throughout the entire match series.

Most half-centuries in T20I cricket

Ayub started the match with an impressive 56 runs from 37 balls while Shadab Khan scored 46 runs from 19 balls during his late batting attack to help Pakistan reach their final overs as they achieved 70 runs in their last five overs. The Australian team accepted their complete defeat after the captain Salman Ali Agha described the series as nearly perfect. 

Pakistan received its best possible timing for their emphatic series victory which included Babar's record-setting performance because the T20 World Cup will start on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

The former Pakistan captain, Rashid Latif, has supported their past T20I captain, Babar Azam, heading into the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, despite the batter’s constant failure to be a regular member of the national side. He reckoned that if Baba can’t be a part of the team despite scoring 1000 runs, then it will be a massive issue. 

In history, the Lahore-born, Babar Azam, is the leading run-getter of the T20I cricket with 4453 runs in 130 innings at an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of 128.40, with the help of three centuries and 38 half-centuries at the best score of 122 runs. But the current few games haven’t been great for the veteran batter.

See Also: Watch: Cameron Green complains of Usman Tariq's chucking during PAK vs AUS 2nd T20I

“If Babar Azam can’t be part of the ninth-ranked Pakistan side after scoring 1000 runs, then Salman Ali Agha can’t even come near the T20I side even with three fifties.” Latif has expressed in a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) that has gone viral on social media.

Rashid Latif backs Babar Azam for T20 World Cup 2026

Babar was recently part of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025/26 season for the Sydney Sixers, where he collected 202 runs at an average of 22.44 in 11 innings and a strike rate of just over 100 with the help of two half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 58 runs.

Watch the video here: 

“IF BABAR AZAM CANNOT BE PART OF THIS 9th RANK PAKISTAN TEAM AFTER SCORING 1000s OF RUNS THEN SALMAN ALI AGHA WITH 3 50s SHOULD NOT EVEN BE NEAR THE TEAM”

- RASHID LATIF pic.twitter.com/dBC0xg3Yq1

— Kh4N PCT (@Kh4N_PCT) January 31, 2026

During the first couple of T20Is against Australia, the right-hand batter has returned with scores of 24 and two. On the other hand, Salman Agha has nailed two strong knocks of 39 and 76 against Australia, which will be a massive boost for the national side.

In this home T20I series. Pakistan has decided to open with Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, while Agha has promoted himself to number three, dropping Babar at number four in the batting lineup. The latest will need to back his game against the spinners to help his side in the spin-friendly Sri Lankan conditions during the World Cup.

Babar Azam, who struggled for just 24 runs in 20 balls during the first T20I of the three-match series against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore as preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, continues to struggle with the bat with another poor performance during the second encounter at the same venue. 

Babar arrived in the middle during the powerplay when the national side was 72/2, just a ball short of the sixth over of the first innings, after the home side, Salman Ali Agha, won the toss and opted to bat first on a pitch which they reckoned would get slow in the second innings. Babar was two runs in four balls when he faced Adam Zampa.

See Also: Watch: India football's goal-keeper mocks Pakistan cricket team during practice session in viral video

The right-handed batter continues to get dominated by the leg-spinner. Zampa traps the batter plumb in front of the stumps as Babar looked to work the leg-break towards the square leg side, but he was beaten by the turn and was hit on the front pad as the umpire didn’t hesitate in raising the finger, with the delivery clearly hitting the middle stump.

Babar Azam fails for two runs during PAK vs AUS 2nd T20I

It was the fifth time that the Australian spinner has dismissed Babar, who, in reply, has smashed only 78 runs at a run-a-ball during the same face-off at an average of 15.6 and a strike rate of 100 with the help of only three boundaries and just a couple of over boundaries.

Watch the video here: 

teams get a good start?? call babar azam to ruin it 🔔

Babar Azam 2(5) vs Pakistan pic.twitter.com/R1WClBBcd9

— Kh4N PCT (@Kh4N_PCT) January 31, 2026

Pakistan’s former captain hasn’t scored a single T20I fifty at home since 2025, which is a concern for the management ahead of the World Cup, where the batter needs to shoulder the responsibility in the middle order. Pakistan, apart from that, has got a massive contribution from their captain, Salman Ali Agha, with 76 runs in 40 balls with the help of eight fours and four sixes.

Pakistan reached 125 runs for the loss of four wickets in 13 overs as Saim Ayub also played a decent yet small dashing knock of 23 runs in 11 balls, thanks to four boundaries at a strike rate of over 209.09.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 136/4 (Salman Ali Agha 76, Usman Khan 26*, Adam Zampa 1/16) vs Australia 

A video on social media is viral for such a long time, where Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the two veterans and the former captains of the Pakistan side, have practiced in a unique way, where they stretch their hands and legs and run forward. This is a hilarious way of doing stretches, which is not quite normal and regular among the other players of the game.

Recently, another video has gone viral on social media platforms where India’s football goal-keeper, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, has put up a video where he has stretched in the same way as Babar and Rizwan, as the other football players have also joined Sandhu in the process.

See Also: Watch: Sanju Samson’s fans put 40-feet drawing welcomes homeboy ahead of IND vs NZ 5th T20I  

Babar is currently featuring for the Pakistan side in their home three-match T20I series against Australia, which has been a great preparation for the right-handed batter ahead of the 2026 season of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. He failed, however, in the first game in Lahore, having returned for only 24 runs in 20 balls.

Gurpreet Singh Sadhu mocks Pakistan's Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

There is uncertainty on Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup as the PCB chief, Mohsin Naqvi, claimed after he met with the country’s Prime Minister. He confirmed that the final decision will be made on the first day of next week, which is only a couple of days before their opening game of the campaign on February 07 against the Netherlands in Colombo.

Watch the video here: 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by GSS (@gkgurpreet)

Pakistan will hope for a better result in this year’s World Cup as they failed to get the promotion to the next round during the last event, having lost their opening clash against the United States of America and their second successive encounter against India in a small run-chase. Questions were raised on Babar’s T20I batting after that competition.

Pakistan’s biggest and mouth-watering clash of the tournament will be against India on February 15. That clash will take place at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo, which was possible only because of the mutual agreement between India and Pakistan, where neither side will trip each other’s country for the ICC events.

Pakistan will face Australia in the second T20I of the Australia tour of Pakistan 2026, which will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday. The Pakistan team defeated Australia in the opening T20I match by 22 runs, leading the series 1-0. The host batting first posted a total of 168 runs in 20 overs. Adam Zampa was impressive, taking four wickets. Xavier Bartlett and Mahil Beardman picked up two wickets each.

In response, the Australian team failed to chase down the target and scored only 146 runs in 20 overs. Abrar Ahmed picked up two important wickets and successfully defended the target. Australia captain Mitch Marsh is ready to play today's match. 

Also Read: PAK vs AUS, 2nd T20I: Head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

PAK vs AUS Match Details

• Match: Pakistan vs Australia, 2nd T20I 

• Date: 31st January 2026

• Time: 4.30 PM IST

• Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

• Live Streaming: Not Available 

PAK vs AUS Weather Report

Pitch Report - Gaddafi Stadium

The surface at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium is expected to be good for spinners and there will be some help for pacers in the powerplay overs. Both teams will prefer chasing.

Top Batters to Watch – PAK vs AUS

• Saim Ayub (PAK): 40 runs in this series 

• Cameron Green (AUS): 36 runs in this series 

• Salman Ali (PAK): 39 runs in this series 

Top Bowlers to Watch – PAK vs AUS

• Adam Zampa (AUS): 4 wickets in this series 

• Abrar Ahmed (PAK): 2 wickets in this series 

• Saim Ayub (PAK): 114 wickets in this series 

PAK vs AUS Recent Form

PAK vs AUS Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1: If PAK Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 40–45

• Predicted Total: 155-165

• Match Result: PAK to win

Scenario 2: If AUS Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 55–60

• Predicted Total: 165–170

• Match Result: AUS to win

Who Will Hit the Most Sixes?

Who Will Hit the Most Fours?

PAK vs AUS Predicted Playing XIs

Pakistan 

Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed.

Australia 

Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa..

PAK vs AUS Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?

According to our PAK vs AUS today match prediction, Australia are the favourites to win the 2nd T20I. The likes of Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh will be key players to watch out for.

PAK vs AUS Match FAQs

Pakistan’sformer captain and the right-handed opening batter, Babar Azam, didn’t enjoy a great outing during the opening T20I of the five-match series between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. He returned for 24 runs in 20 deliveries after being trapped leg before the stumps on the bowling of Adam Zampa.

A hilarious video has gone viral of his LBW decision when the Australian side asked for the third umpire review system. The leg spinner had his revenge after being hit for a six as he sent back the batter on 24 runs. It was googly on the back of a line around the off stump, which turned a little bit as Babar Azam switched his stance and tried to reverse sweep, but missed to get pinged on the pad.

See Also: Former Australia captain named new head coach ahead of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026

In the video, it was seen that the ball had pitched outside the off-stump to the right-handed batter, to which the umpire claimed it as pitching outside leg, which saw the commentators starting to laugh hilariously as the video went viral on social media.

Babar Azam's LBW dismissals gets umpire errors in viral video 

Pakistan's batting posted 168 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs as their opening batter, Saim Ayub, smashed 40 runs in just 22 balls with the help of three boundaries and two sixes, while their captain, Salman Ali Agha, nailed 39 runs in just 27 balls with the help of four sixes and one boundary.

Watch the video here: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gagan Soni (@gagan_hybridfit)

However, Pakistan’s middle order failed to contribute as they kept on losing wickets throughout the last half of the first innings, which saw them putting a lower score than expected as Adam Zampa ended with four wickets in his four-over spell for 24 runs.

Australia did not get a huge contribution from their batting department, which saw them restricted to 146 for the loss of eight wickets in their 1120 overs as Cameron Green ended with a 36-run knock in 31 balls, while Xavier Bartlett provided an unbeaten 34 runs in 25 balls.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 168/8 (Saim Ayub 40, Salman Ali Agha 39, Adam Zampa 4/24) vs Australia 146/8 (Cameron Green 36, Abrar Ahmed 2/10) by 22 runs.

Pakistan’s former captain, Babar Azam, did not have a successful campaign for the Sydney Sixers in the 2025/26 season of the Big Bash League (BBL) as he returned two games before the end of the tournament for the franchise as the right handed batter prepared himself for the three match T20I series at home against Australia heading into the Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

Babar Azam continues to fail in the shortest format as he was dismissed leg before the stumps by Australia’s leg spinner, Adam Zampa, on 24 runs in 20 deliveries at a strike rate of 120 with the help of one boundary and one six. His first big shot was the boundary as he cleared his front leg and smashed Mahli Beardman over mid-off for a one-bounce four.

See Also: No more India vs Pakistan rivalry? This team emerges as new competitor for India ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

On the very first delivery of the 14th over, Babar uses his feet and goes close to the pitch of the delivery against Zampa, and smashed it over long-on. He did not get it off the meat of the bag, which increased the interest in the fielder’s mind, who, in putting a chance for the catch, before seeing the ball sailing over the fence.

Babar Azam returns for 24 runs in 20 balls during PAK vs AUS 1st T20I

Three balls later, Zampa had his revenge as he sent back the batter LBW on 24 runs. It was a googly on the back of a line around the off stump, which turned a little bit as Babar switched his stance and tried to reverse sweep, but missed to get pinged on the pad. The umpire did not raise his finger at the primary position before the standing captain, Travis Head, asked for the review.

Watch the video here: 

babar azam 24(20) vs pakistan pic.twitter.com/hx3zc8qAqS

— Kh4N PCT (@Kh4N_PCT) January 29, 2026

The UltraEdge shows a clear gap between bat and ball before the ball tracking reveals three reds, and it would have crashed into a leg stump as Babar walked back to the dressing room after burning the review with the failure.

After losing their opening batter on the very first ball of the game, Pakistan recovered well thanks to a classic knock of 40 runs in just 22 deliveries from Saim Ayub, while their captain, Salman Agha, also contributed 39 runs in 27 deliveries at a strike rate of nearly 145.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 168/8 (Saim Ayub 40, Adam Zampa 4/24) vs Australia. 

Pakistan will face Australia in the first T20I of the Australia tour of Pakistan 2026, which will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday. As Pakistan prepares to face Australia in an important T20I series before the T20 World Cup, their recent T20I performance hasn't been good. The last five T20Is against Australia have all been losses, so they're hoping the familiar conditions at home can help turn things around. 

On the other hand, the Aussies' recent T20 form is excellent, and this series is a perfect preparation for the World Cup. The batting order they have has a lot of power, especially when the ball hits the bat nicely and the boundaries aren't too far away

Also Read: Australia tour to Pakistan, 1st T20I: PAK vs AUS, Probable Playing 11, Where To Watch, Live Streaming Details

PAK vs AUS Match Details

• Match: Pakistan vs Australia, 1st T20I

• Date: 29th January 2026

• Time: 4.30 PM IST

• Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

• Live Streaming: FanCode

PAK vs AUS Weather Report

Pitch Report - Gaddafi Stadium

• Flat batting wicket

• High-scoring venue 

• Chasing team advantage due to the dew

Top Batters to Watch – PAK vs AUS

• Babar Azam (PAK): 4429 runs in T20I 

• Mitchell Marsh (AUS): 2083 runs in T20I 

• Travis Head (AUS): 1197 runs in T20I 

Top Bowlers to Watch – PAK vs AUS

• Adam Zampa (AUS): 134 wickets in T20I 

• Shaheen Afridi (PAK): 126 wickets in T20I 

• Shadab Khan (PAK): 114 wickets in T20I

PAK vs AUS Recent Form

PAK vs AUS Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1: If PAK Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 40–50

• Predicted Total: 155-170

• Match Result: PAK to win

Scenario 2: If AUS Bat First

• Powerplay Score: 55–65

• Predicted Total: 170–180

• Match Result: AUS to win

Who Will Hit the Most Sixes?

Who Will Hit the Most Fours?

PAK vs AUS Predicted Playing XIs

Pakistan 

Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed.

Australia 

Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Adam Zampa.

PAK vs AUS Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?

According to our PAK vs AUS today match prediction, Australia are the favourites to win the 1st T20I. The likes of Travis Head, Mitchell Owen and Mitchell Marsh will be key players to watch out for.

PAK vs AUS Match FAQs

Pakistan and Australia will clash in the first T20I of their three-match series at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, January 29. Pakistan recently toured Sri Lanka for a three-match series against Dasun Shanaka’s side, which ended in a 1-1 draw after the second match was abandoned due to rain. The home side will be eager to start their series strongly, building on lessons from Sri Lanka, while relying on key players in both batting and bowling to gain an early advantage in the tightly contested T20I series.

Australia, meanwhile, arrives fresh off an exciting Big Bash League season, where Perth Scorchers claimed the title by defeating Sydney Sixers. Boasting a formidable squad of T20 specialists, the Australians will enter the Lahore series as favourites. However, Pakistan’s home advantage, familiarity with local conditions, and experienced players make them a dangerous opponent. Both sides will aim to set the tone early, with the first T20I expected to be a high-intensity clash full of big-hitting and tactical bowling battles.

See Also: 3 Indian players from 2024 T20 World Cup missing in India’s 2026 squad

PAK vs AUS, 1st T20I: Live Streaming Details

PAK vs AUS, 1st T20I: Probable Playing XI

Pakistan (PAK):

Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan (WK), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (C), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed

Australia (AUS):

Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (C), Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (WK), Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Ben Dwarshuis

Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha found himself at the centre of attention during a recent pre-series press conference after expressing visible frustration over repeated questions on Babar Azam’s form. The moment, which has since gone viral on social media, offered a rare glimpse into the skipper’s impatience with the constant spotlight on one individual.

As the media continued to probe Babar’s recent performances, particularly his struggles during the Big Bash League, Agha chose to step in and firmly defend his senior batter. Rather than offering technical explanations, the Pakistan captain made a direct appeal to the reporters, urging them to ease the pressure and allow Babar to focus solely on his batting.

“It is my wish that I come to the press conference one day and there will be no questions related to Babar Azam. Let him do batting please,” Agha said, clearly exasperated by the line of questioning. He went on to remind the media that cricket is a team sport, pointing out that there are many other players whose performances also deserve attention.

Watch the video:

It is my wish that i come to the press conference one day and there will be no questions related to Babar Azam, let him do batting please - Salman Ali Agha

VC: PCB#PAKvAUS | #Cricket | #Pakistan | #SalmanAliAgha | #BabarAzam | #Lahore pic.twitter.com/UgdxdeRKc9

— Khel Shel (@khelshel) January 28, 2026

Agha urges focus on team goals over individual scrutiny

The statement underlined the strong backing Babar continues to enjoy within the Pakistan dressing room, despite his recent dip in form. Agha stressed that what matters most is Babar’s role and contribution to the national side, not what happened in a franchise tournament overseas. According to the skipper, outside noise and criticism only distract from the bigger picture as Pakistan prepare for a demanding international season.

With a T20I series against Australia on the horizon and the T20 World Cup approaching, Pakistan will be keen to build momentum. While names like Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah are expected to play key roles, Babar Azam’s form will inevitably remain under scrutiny.

For now, Salman Ali Agha’s message is clear: the team stands united behind its star batter and wants the focus to shift from individual criticism to collective performance on the field.