Azam beats Kohli’s 1,000-run landmark

DUBAI: Babar Azam became the fastest player to reach 1,000 Twenty20 international runs as Pakistan scored 166-3 in the third and final match against New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.

When Azam reached 48, he completed the landmark in just 26 innings, beating the previous record set by India’s Virat Kohli who reached 1,000 runs in 27 Twenty20 innings. Azam finished with a 58-ball 79 with two sixes and seven boundaries while Mohammad Hafeez scored a 34-ball 53 after Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat at Dubai stadium. Pakistan, which have unassailable 2-0 lead, made two changes with Waqas Maqsood given a first T20 cap on his 31st birthday and Usman Shinwari making a comeback.

They replaced Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi in the side which beat New Zealand by six wickets in Dubai on Friday. New Zealand brought in Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson and Seth Rance in place of Corey Anderson, Adam Milne and Ajaz Patel from Friday's line up.