ICC T20 World Cup Final: Babar-Rizwan threat looms over England

ICC T20 World Cup 2022 Final : A day after Mathew Hayden's prediction, Babar Azam finally came to life in the T20 World Cup when it mattered the most, in a knockout game on the big stage. The charismatic Pakistani captain pounced on the early lifeline and notched up his 29th fifty in T20Is.

Babar along with his opening partner Rizwan lit up the Sydney Cricket Ground with a match-winning 105-run stand which took the game away from New Zealand. It was Babar-Rizwan's third-century run stand at T20 World Cups.

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And now the other finalists will be wary of the duo and it will be paramount for them to stop the pair of Babar & Rizwan in the summit clash on Sunday.

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Babar-Rizwan opening stand record

The Babar-Rizwan partnership has proved to be one of the most terrific opening pairs in the shortest format. With the highest opening stand of 203 runs, the duo chased down a 200-run target against England only recently, creating a world record in T20Is.

Babar-Rizwan staggering record in T20Is as opening pair

Year Runs Opposition
2022 203* England
2021 197 South Africa

Babar and Rizwan have five 150-plus stands in T20Is while no other pair had even one for Pakistan before them.

Highest partnership runs in T20Is

Players Innings Runs Highest 100s 50s
Babar-Rizwan 51 2509 203* 9 9
Rahul-Rohit 41 1888 165 5 10

With 9 century stands, the pair of Babar and Rizwan have the most hundred-run stand followed by the Indian duo of Kl Rahul and Rohit Sharma.