5 records created by Pakistan across formats in 2021

It was a substantial and fruitful year for Pakistan team as they performed exceedingly well in the T20Is throughout the year and lost just one Test series early on in 2021. The Men in Green were on a roll in cricket’s most entertaining format, the T20Is, especially in the T20 World Cup. After losing the Test series 2-0 to New Zealand in New Zealand, Pakistan beat South Africa in both the Test and T20I series at home.

In the reverse series, they defeated South Africa in both limited-overs series in the Rainbow nation. Next, another African country, Zimbabwe got beaten in T20I and Test series from Pakistan in Zimbabwe. The tour to the UK wasn’t up to the mark as Babar Azam and his men were on the losing side in both 50-over affairs and the T20I series. The Asian giant won the T20I series 1-0 where three games were abandoned due to rain and drew Tests 1-1 against West Indies on Caribbean soil.

Pakistan was on song in the T20 World Cup as they won all the four games in the Super 12 stage to enter the semis on a high only to lose to Australia. After the disappointment of getting knocked out in the semi-finals, Pakistan toured Bangladesh and won the T20I and Test series 5-0. Nicholas Pooran led the West Indies side in the T20I series in Pakistan and got whitewashed 3-0 against the in-form Babar Azam team.

Meanwhile, here are some of the records created by Pakistan across formats in 2021:

1.Mohammad Rizwan scored most runs in T20Is in a calendar year

Just short of superlatives when we talk about Mohammad Rizwan in T20Is this year. The wicketkeeper-batter had an absolute exceptional and phenomenal year in the T20I format. He amassed 1326 runs where no other batter has ever reached even the 1000-run mark in a calendar year. With 939 runs, his skipper Babar Azam is second who recorded the feat this year itself. With an average of 73.66 and 13 50-plus scores, Rizwan along with Babar Azam made it Pakistan’s year in the T20Is.

2.Pakistan recorded most wins in T20Is in a calendar year

With 20 victories, the Men in Green achieved the feat of most T20I wins by a team in a calendar year. Babar Azam and his side broke their own record of 17 victories which they reached in the year 2018. Pakistan played 29 T20Is this year, losing just six and three matches were abandoned in West Indies due to rain. It was a great year for the Asian team in the shortest international format with captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan being the main reason behind their success.

3.Babar Azam scored most runs as captain in T20Is in a calendar year

Other than Mohammad Rizwan, it was all about Babar Azam in T20Is in 2021. The skipper got 939 runs, which is the most by any captain in a calendar year. With an average of 37.56, the Lahore-born batter struck nine half-centuries and one century. His opening partnership with Rizwan was the complete highlight and talking point this year where Pakistan managed to be so successful because of them. Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah with 496 runs is second behind Babar Azam which he scored this year itself.

4.Shoaib Malik struck fastest fifty for Pakistan in T20Is

During the T20 World Cup, the veteran Pakistani batter Shoaib Malik smashed fastest half-century for Pakistan in T20Is against Scotland at Sharjah. Shoaib Malik’s fifty came in just 18 deliveries and broke 11 years old Umar Akmal’s record when the latter scored it in 21 balls against Australia in 2010. With a staggering strike-rate of 300.00, Malik deposited six balls into the stands to remain not out on 54 against the Scottish.

5.Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have shared most century partnerships in T20Is

With six century partnerships, and interestingly all of those six stands coming this year itself, Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan now have the most hundred partnerships in T20Is. They overtook India’s pair KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma’s tally of five such stands. Pakistan duo have amassed 1473 runs with an average of 56.65 and highest score of 197. They also have four half-century partnerships between them. Certainly both of them made the year 2021 of their own by breaking number of records.