Sahibzada Farhan Sets New T20 World Cup Records
Farhan Breaks T20 World Cup Records
In a remarkable achievement, Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan has surpassed Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli to become the leading run-scorer in a single ICC Men's T20 World Cup edition. He also made history by being the first player to hit two centuries in the same tournament.
Farhan delivered a stellar performance when it mattered most, scoring 100 runs off 60 balls, which included nine fours and five sixes, achieving a strike rate exceeding 166. He now shares the record for the most individual centuries in T20 World Cup history with West Indies' Chris Gayle, although both of Farhan's centuries were scored in this tournament alone.
Only Babar Azam has more T20I centuries for Pakistan, with three. Throughout this tournament, Farhan has amassed 383 runs in seven matches and six innings, averaging 76.60 with a strike rate of 160.25, featuring two centuries and two fifties, with a top score of 100*.
Joining Elite Company
Sahibzada has now joined the ranks of cricketing greats like Matthew Hayden, Virat Kohli, and Babar Azam, each of whom has recorded four fifty-plus scores in a single T20 World Cup edition.
His partnership with Fakhar Zaman, which yielded 176 runs for the first wicket, is now the highest in T20 World Cup history, surpassing the previous record of 175 runs set by New Zealand's Tim Seifert and Finn Allen against the UAE in this tournament.
Match Overview: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
In the match, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first. However, the explosive 176-run partnership between Farhan and Fakhar Zaman (who scored 84 off 42 balls, including nine fours and four sixes) proved to be a costly decision for them. After breaking this partnership, Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka (3/33), captain Dasun Shanaka (2/42), and Dushmantha Chameera (1/48) managed to limit Pakistan to 212/8, falling short of their anticipated score of 220-230.
To qualify for the semifinals, Pakistan must restrict Sri Lanka to 147 runs or fewer, surpassing New Zealand's net run rate.