Pakistan cricket team duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan share the record for the fastest to 2000 runs in T20 internationals.

Having made his T20I debut against England at Old Trafford in 2016, Babar Azam completed 2000 runs in cricket’s shortest format in just 52 innings. The Pakistan cricket team captain achieved this incredible milestone during the third T20I against Zimbabwe in his 54th T20 international in 2021. 

Batting at number three, the right-handed batter scored 52 runs off 46 balls to help Pakistan post 165/3 in their allotted 20 overs in Harare. In reply, hosts Zimbabwe could only manage 141/7 in their 20 overs as Pakistan secured a 24-run win to clinch the three-match T20I series 2-1.

Meanwhile, Pakistan wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan equalled his teammate Babar Azam’s record for being the fastest to 2000 runs in T20 internationals. Rizwan also took 52 innings to reach the feat during the first T20I against England in Karachi in 2022.

Playing his 63rd T20 international, Rizwan scored a 46-ball 68 while opening the innings against England at the National Stadium.

The Peshawar-born cricketer made his T20I debut against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in 2015.

India’s star batter Virat Kohli is third on the fastest to 2000 runs in T20Is list. The former India captain took just 56 innings to reach 2000 runs in T20I cricket. Kohli achieved the milestone during his 60th T20 international while playing against hosts England in Manchester in 2018.

India’s KL Rahul and Aaron Finch of Australia complete the top five list. India’s T20I opening batter Rahul reached 2000 T20I runs in 58 innings during the opening match of the three-match series against Australia in Mohali in 2022. While playing his 62nd T20I, Rahul played an impressive 55-run knock-off of just 35 balls, laced with four fours and three maximums. 

On the other hand, Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch completed 2000 T20I runs in 62 innings during a match against arch-rivals England in Southampton in 2020.

Interestingly, former New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum was the first cricketer to reach 2000 T20I runs in 2014. Playing his 67th T20 international against the Netherlands in Chattogram, McCullum achieved the milestone in 66 innings.

Fastest to 2000 runs in T20 internationals

Player	Opposition	Ground	Match Date	Matches	Innings
Babar Azam (PAK)	Zimbabwe	Harare	25 April 2021	54	52
Mohammad Rizwan (PAK)	England	Karachi	20 September 2022	63	52
Virat Kohli (IND)	England	Manchester	3 July 2018	60	56
KL Rahul (IND)	Australia	Mohali	20 September 2022	62	58
Aaron Finch (AUS)	England	Southampton	4 September 2020	62	62
Brendon McCullum (NZ)	Netherlands	Chattogram	29 March 2014	67	66
Martin Guptill (NZ)	Pakistan	Mount Maunganui	28 January 2018	70	68
Mohammad Shahzad (AFG)	Namibia	Abu Dhabi	31 October 2021	68	68
Paul Stirling (IRE)	West Indies	St George's	15 January 2020	73	72
Kane Williamson (NZ)	Australia	Dubai (DSC)	14 November 2021	74	72

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Featured photo: Aamir QURESHI / AFP

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), on Saturday, suspended Mohammad Shahzad’s contract for an indefinite period after the wicketkeeper-batsman was found guilty of breaching ACB’s Code of Conduct.

In a release, the board mentioned Shahzad was fined for not seeking permission before travelling out the country. Furthermore, the board also confirmed that the 31-year-old did not attend any meetings with the ACB Discipline Committee in relation to disciplinary matters during World Cup 2019.

"As per ACB’s policies, any player travelling out of the country is required to seek the permission of ACB. Shahzad has not adhered to this, repetitively,"

"Mohammad Shahzad has also breached the ACB Code of Conduct previously and was recently called for questioning by the ACB Discipline Committee in relation to a disciplinary matter during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Mohammad Shahzad did not attend meetings scheduled with the Discipline Committee on 20th and 25th of the last month. The Discipline Committee will meet after Eid-ul Adha holidays to assess the breaches by Mohammad Shahzad and make a decision to be publicized soon," ACB added.

"ACB has well-equipped training and practice facilities within the country and Afghan players do not require to travel abroad for such purposes."

Shahzad, who was ruled out of the world cup due to a knee injury, accused ACB for wrongly declaring him unfit. And since then, he has had his issues with the board. "I went to a doctor in London and he drained my knee of some fluids, gave me a pill and said that I could play after resting for two-three days," Shahzad had said.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Geoff Caddick

Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib insists his side won't let the row over Mohammad Shahzad's controversial World Cup exit overshadow the rest of the tournament.

Shahzad played in Afghanistan's first two World Cup matches, but the wicketkeeper-batsman was removed from the squad after suffering a knee injury that the country's cricket board said would not allow him to play any further part in the tournament.

The 31-year-old, who scored just seven runs in losses to Australia and Sri Lanka, claimed medical advice he had received said he would have been fit to play in a few days after having his knee drained.

"If they don't want me to play, I will quit cricket," an emotional Shahzad was reported to have told local media after returning to Kabul.

Shahzad, Afghanistan's highest run-scorer in one-day internationals with 2,727 runs, was not selected for the 2015 World Cup due to a lack of fitness.

Asked about the row ahead of Saturday's clash with South Africa, Naib made it clear he didn't want to dwell on the situation.

"We looked forward, so we didn't go to the past. We had one week off. We got plenty of good things in this last week," Naib told reporters on Friday.

"Obviously we missed Shahzad. We have good youngsters on the team now on the side, so we're excited for the next game."

With Afghanistan still looking for their first win in this year's World Cup, Naib said star leg spinner Rashid Khan should be fit to play against South Africa.

Rashid suffered a head injury and failed a concussion test, leaving him unable to bowl after he was struck by a bouncer from New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson.

"He's quite good now. He joined yesterday's practise session as well. Now he's feeling much better now," Naib said.

"It's not that serious. Obviously when you are hit hard on the head you have something like a problem, like the head is sore. But now he's feeling well."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar

The 2019 ICC World Cup as not been the kindest to Afghanistan. Tipped to be the king-makers with their ability to surprise many, the minnow nation has had a torrid start to their campaign and are placed at the bottom of the points table after losing their three games so far.

And as if that was not enough, the team has had to deal with a few injury bowls too. But none has been as worse as the one to their wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad. The 32-year-old was asked to return home from the UK after a knee injury that he sustained during their warm-up game aggravated because of his involvement in the two matches of the competitions.

"I have no problem or injury & fully fit but @ACBofficials pulled me out of the squad by force without any consultation"Says @MShahzad077 who is ruled out of @cricketworldcup due to knee injury in his recent voice clip to a media in #Kabl as he is set to return home tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/tqagZST9c2

�M.ibrahim Momand (@IbrahimReporter) June 8, 2019

Though the Afghanistan side named the 18-year old Ikram Ali Khan as Shahzad’s replacement, the opening batsman has come out as stated that he was asked to leave as the board didn’t want him to be a part of the team. He also said that he has been fully fit and there was no knee injury, which was said to the reason for him being asked to return.

While Shahzad has said that such a decision was taken without his consultation, we are yet to hear from the board on this matter. In the two games that he played, the 32-year-old could muster just seven runs against Australia and Sri Lanka. The opening batsman has been a part of the Afghanistan set up for long and has been responsible for handing his side solid starts at the top of the batting order, a role he’s played to perfection during his side’s resurgence as a cricketing power.

Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Geoff Caddick

Mohammad Shahzad, Afghanistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman, has been ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 owing to a knee injury, the team confirmed on Thursday (June 6). Another keeper-batsman in Ikram Ali Khil has been called up as a replacement by the team.

Shahzad, an explosive opener, had initially picked the knock during Afghanistan’s warm-up game against Pakistan last month, which forced him to retire from the game. And although he was a part of his team’s opening two World Cup games, he has been forced to withdraw as the injury has aggravated.

Since the knock, the 32-year-old hasn’t enjoyed a fruitful outing, to say the least. He was dismissed on a duck in Afghanistan’s World Cup opener against Australia and could only manage seven runs against Sri Lanka in the following game.

"The ICC has confirmed that the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 has approved Khil as a replacement player for Shahzad in the Afghanistan squad for the remainder of the tournament," read an official statement from ICC.

His replacement, Khil, made his ODI debut in March this year against Ireland and has played a mere two ODIs. And his return isn’t cheering as well. In those two ODIs, he has managed just six odd runs.  

Meanwhile, Khil was a part of Afghanistan’s U-19 World Cup squad last year and scored 185 runs in four matches at 46.25. 

Having lost both of their World Cup fixtures, Afghanistan’s next job lies against New Zealand �who have won both of their games - in Taunton on June 8.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Geoff Caddick