Tag: Sahibzada Farhan

KANDY: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan on Saturday shattered Indian legend Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. 

Kohli held the record with a tally of 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup.

Before heading into the Pakistan Super Eight fixture against Sri Lanka, Sahibzada had scored 283 runs in six matches. The right-hander had required 36 runs to break the record.

Farhan overtook Kohli when he smashed Shanaka for a boundary in the sixth over. The former India captain scored 319 runs in the 2014 edition.

The right-handed opener now leads the run charts with 323* runs, underlining a standout campaign that has included a century and two half-centuries for Pakistan at the T20 World Cup 2026.

He was eventually caught at covers just after reaching the triple-figure mark. Farhan tonked five maximums and nine fours in his record-breaking 100 off 60 balls.

Most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition

348* – Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan (2026)*

319 – Virat Kohli, India (2014)

317 – Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka (2009)

303 – Babar Azam, Pakistan (2021)

302 – Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka (2010)

296 – Virat Kohli, India (2022)

295 – Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh (2016)

289 – David Warner, Australia (2021)

281 – Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan (2021)

281 – Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Afghanistan (2024)

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara (wk), Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq

READ: Shahid Afridi names Agha’s replacement for Pakistan captaincy

DUBAI: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has surged to a career-best third position in the latest ICC T20I Batting Rankings following his prolific run in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Farhan, currently the leading run-scorer of the tournament, has amassed 283 runs in five innings at a staggering average of 70.75.

His consistent performances at the top of the order have earned him 810 rating points, moving him up two spots in the global standings.

The right-hander now sits just five points behind England’s Phil Salt, who occupies second place with 815 points.

India’s Abhishek Sharma continues to lead the rankings with 877 points despite a relatively modest campaign in the tournament so far.

While Farhan enjoyed a significant rise, several other Pakistani batters experienced a dip in their positions.

Opener Saim Ayub has slipped three places to 34th, while former captain Babar Azam dropped one spot to 36th. Captain Salman Ali Agha is now ranked 38th after a one-place fall, and Fakhar Zaman has slid to 88th.

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In the bowlers’ list, spinner Abrar Ahmed dropped from third to fifth with 712 rating points, while Mohammad Nawaz fell three places to 12th.

Among the pacers, Mohammad Salman Mirza climbed one place to 18th, and Shaheen Shah Afridi rose four spots to 31st.

One of the biggest movers was Usman Tariq, who jumped 59 places to reach 55th.

Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem slipped 10 places to 60th, while all-rounder Shadab Khan gained 10 spots to move up to 65th.

Saim Ayub also dropped 11 places in the bowlers’ rankings to 66th, and pacer Haris Rauf fell five positions to 81st.

India’s Varun Chakaravarthy continues to lead the T20I bowlers’ rankings, followed by Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan in second. South Africa’s Corbin Bosch made a remarkable leap of 21 places to claim third spot.

In the ICC T20I all-rounders’ rankings, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza has reclaimed the top position, pushing Saim Ayub down to second. India’s Hardik Pandya remains third.

READ: ECB insists Pakistan players will not be frozen out the Hundred

KANDY: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has dismissed the talk of breaking Indian legend Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, insisting his focus remains on helping Pakistan win.

Farhan is currently the leading run-scorer in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with 220 runs in four games.

Meanwhile, Kohli holds the record with 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup, a mark that has sparked speculation as Farhan heads into at least two more Super Eight matches against England and Sri Lanka, with the potential for more if Pakistan advance.

During the pre-match press conference in Kandy ahead of Tuesday’s clash with England, Farhan made it clear that personal milestones are secondary.

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“My effort is always to take the innings deep and to score more runs and win matches for Pakistan,” he said.

“I don’t focus much on stats or records. Although records are made to be broken, I am not thinking about that. The aim is to score maximum runs for Pakistan.”

Pakistan have just a solitary point in the Super Eight stage after their opening fixture against New Zealand in Colombo was washed out, while England arrive with momentum after a 51-run win over co-hosts Sri Lanka at the same venue on Sunday.

READ: Sahibzada Farhan unfazed by Jofra Archer in must-win England clash

KANDY: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has brushed aside concerns over Jofra Archer’s pace threat ahead of Tuesday’s high-stakes Super Eight encounter against England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

England enter the contest with momentum on their side after a commanding 51-run victory over Sri Lanka at the same venue on Sunday.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have a solitary point in their Super Eight group after their opening fixture against New Zealand in Colombo was washed out due to persistent rain.

Archer played a pivotal role in England’s win, producing a fiery spell while defending 147 and removing Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara to set the tone early.

However, Farhan made it clear during the pre-match press conference in Kandy that Pakistan are not intimidated.

“It’s not that big a deal to face Jofra Archer. We also have bowlers who clock 140-plus, and they have come prepared. We’ve done our preparation as well,” he said.

The opener stressed that confidence within the Pakistan camp remains intact despite the circumstances.

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“We are confident. The team has played good cricket here before, and we will give England a tough time,” Farhan stated, adding that tactical calls such as opting to bat or bowl rest with the captain and coaching staff.

Playing in Kandy for the first time, Sahibzada Farhan revealed he sought insights from senior players, including Babar Azam.

“I have never played here, but our senior players have. I spoke to Babar Azam, and he said the ball comes nicely onto the bat here. The other boys who have played here are saying the same, that these are batting-friendly tracks,” he noted.

At the same time, he acknowledged that conditions in the recent England-Sri Lanka match suggested some variation.

“In the last match, the ball was gripping, and the pitch looked different, so we’ll assess the conditions tomorrow,” he added.

Farhan also addressed Pakistan’s recent struggles with the bat, admitting that the top order must shoulder greater responsibility.

“We have been collapsing in batting, and we need to think about that. We have to carry the innings deeper from the top order. We are working on it, and there will be improvement,” he said.

READ: ECB warns The Hundred franchises amid concerns over Pakistan snub

COLOMBO: Pakistan opening batter Sahibzada Farhan joined former batter Ahmed Shehzad in an elusive list with a century against Namibia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Wednesday.

Farhan’s 100* off 58 balls with the aid of four sixes and 11 fours played a vital role in propelling Pakistan to a big total of 200.

After scoring a ton, the right-hander became only the second Pakistani batter after Ahmed Shehzad to score a century in the T20 World Cup.

Previously, Shehzad had scored a century against Bangladesh in the 2014 World Cup.

The century also took Farhan to the top of the runs chart in the tournament, accumulating 220 runs in four matches at an average of 73.33.

Overall, he is the fifth Pakistani batter to score a hundred in T20Is, joining the likes of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Ahmed Shehzad, and Hasan Nawaz.

Moreover, he also became the 13th batter to make a ton in the mega event, joining the likes of Chris Gayle and other notable players.

Opting to bat first, Pakistan made a brisk start as Farhan and Saim Ayub stitched together a quickfire 40-run opening stand in just over five overs.

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The partnership ended when Jack Brassell dismissed Ayub for 14 off 12 balls, an innings that included two boundaries.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha then joined Farhan at the crease, and the pair built a steady 67-run partnership for the second wicket, guiding Pakistan past the 100-run mark and laying the foundation for a big total.

Youngster Khawaja Nafay was promoted to number four but could only manage five runs before falling to Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus.

Farhan, however, continued to dominate. Joined by Shadab Khan, the duo added an unbeaten 81-run stand for the fourth wicket to propel Pakistan to an imposing total.

Shadab, after a cautious start, accelerated to finish on 36 off 22 balls, striking one four and three sixes.

READ: South Africa cruise past UAE to seal perfect group-stage run

COLOMBO: Sahibzada Farhan’s maiden T20I century and clinical bowling powered Pakistan to a big 102-run win over Namibia in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 must-win clash on Wednesday at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.

Set a daunting target, Namibia were bowled out for 97 in 17.3 overs.

Namibia’s openers started steadily in the chase, adding 32 in 4.1 overs. However, Salman Mirza’s first breakthrough stalled the Eagles’ chase.

After losing the first wicket, Namibia never came back in the game as Pakistan bowlers tightened the screws with regular wickets.

As a result, Namibia were reduced to 49-4 in 7.3 overs.

JJ Smit and Alexander Busing-Volschenk tried to arrest the slide with a 30-run partnership. The pair managed to bring the total to 79 in 12.3 overs.

But it was Usman Tariq’s mystery and Shadab Khan’s sharp leg spin bowling that quickly unraveled Namibia’s innings.

Louren Steenkamp top-scored with 23 off 22 balls with the aid of three fours and a six.

For Pakistan, Usman Tariq stood out among the bowlers, picking up a four-wicket haul. Shadab Khan supported him well with his three wickets.

Earlier, Pakistan posted a formidable 199-3 against Namibia in their 20 overs.

Opting to bat first, Pakistan made a brisk start as Farhan and Saim Ayub stitched together a quickfire 40-run opening stand in just over five overs.

The partnership ended when Jack Brassell dismissed Ayub for 14 off 12 balls, an innings that included two boundaries.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha then joined Farhan at the crease, and the pair built a steady 67-run partnership for the second wicket, guiding Pakistan past the 100-run mark and laying the foundation for a big total.

Brassell struck again to remove Agha for a well-made 38 off 23 balls, leaving Pakistan at 107-2 in 12.1 overs.

Youngster Khawaja Nafay was promoted to number four but could only manage five runs before falling to Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus.

Sahibzada Farhan, however, continued to dominate. Joined by Shadab Khan, the duo added an unbeaten 81-run stand for the fourth wicket to propel Pakistan to an imposing total.

Shadab, after a cautious start, accelerated to finish on 36 off 22 balls, striking one four and three sixes.

The night, though, belonged to Farhan. The right-hander remained unbeaten on 100 from 58 deliveries, hammering 11 fours and four sixes in a commanding display of strokeplay.

With this milestone, he became only the second Pakistani batter after Ahmed Shehzad to score a century in a Men’s T20 World Cup.

READ: South Africa cruise past UAE to seal perfect group-stage run

DUBAI: Pakistan opener batter Sahibzada Farhan continued to shine as he moved up four spots in the latest ICC T20I rankings announced on Wednesday.

The right-hander, who played a match-winning knock of 74 against the USA in the T20 World Cup, climbed four spots and moved to fourth position with 769 rating points.

This is Farhan’s second highest-ranking in his career, having previously reached the spot with 776 rating points.

On the other hand, Fakhar Zaman jumped three places to 57th position while Salman Ali Agha dropped to 63rd position.

Meanwhile, India opener Abhishek Sharma continued to stamp his authority in the shorter format with a top position.

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In the T20I bowling rankings, spinner Abrar Ahmed remains at eighth position with 659 points, while Mohammad Nawaz made a huge leap, moving 14 places to 13th spot with 638 points.

The top position is held by Varun Chakravarthy, followed by New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy in second and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan.

Among the all-rounder rankings, Zimbabwe Sikandar Raza pipped Saim Ayub to move up to the top position.

Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf slipped to 35th and 59 positions respectively. On the contrary, Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Agha dropped to 69th place.

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SYLHET: Sahibzada Farhan’s gutsy knock and Ripon Mondol’s late heroics with the ball sealed a thrilling Super Over victory for Rajshahi Warriors over Rangpur Riders in the eighth fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26.

The Warriors eased past Riders on the third ball of the Super Over with seven to chase as Tanzid Hasan scored 10* from three balls.

Ripon bowled a tight over under pressure, taking one wicket and limiting Riders to only six.

Earlier, the match was tied after Rangpur Riders managed to score 159-6 at the end of their 20 overs.

David Malan remained the notable contributor with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 63 off 50 balls, laced with half a dozen boundaries and two sixes.

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Rangpur Riders lost Litton Das for 16 in the third over, which brought Towhid Hridoy to the crease.

David Malan and Hridoy put on a century stand, which at one stage made the contest a one-sided affair.

However, SM Meherob, the latter, for 53 to give his side an opening, which was followed by a middle-order collapse, putting Riders on the brink.

It was all down to the final over with Ripon Mondol delivering under the pressure while defending seven. He picked up two wickets in the final over and a run out to make it a Super Over contest.

Earlier, after being put into bat first, Rajshahi Warriors managed to score 159-8 at the end of their innings.

Watch BPL 2026 matches LIVE Here!

Sahibzada Farhan remained the notable contributor with 65 from 46 balls with the aid of eight fours and two sixes. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto made 41 off 30 balls, striking five fours and a six.

The pair’s 93-run partnership for the second wicket was instrumental in setting the tone for his side before a middle-order collapse left them reeling at the end of their 20 overs.

For Rangpur Riders, Faheem Ashraf remained the standout bowler with three wickets to his name.

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DUBAI: Pakistan’s top-order batter Sahibzada Farhan continued his upward trajectory in the ICC Men’s Player Rankings as he broke into the top five of T20I batters on Wednesday.

Farhan, who dominated the recently concluded home T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as the leading run-scorer, has climbed to fifth place with 752 rating points, edging past India’s Tilak Varma.

His surge reflects a period of sustained consistency that has quickly elevated him into the global elite of the format.

Pakistan also continue to hold a firm grip on the top spot in the T20I all-rounders category, with Saim Ayub retaining his No.1 ranking.

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India’s Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, moved up three places to fourth, closing in on the upper tier.

There was encouraging movement for Pakistan in the Test batting charts as well. Middle-order batter Saud Shakeel broke into the Top 10, climbing one spot to reach a 10th position.

In the Test bowling rankings, however, there was a slight dip for Noman Ali, who slipped to fourth after Australia’s Mitchell Starc jumped three places into third on the back of strong Ashes outings.

Pakistan’s ODI bowlers also enjoyed a rankings boost. Shaheen Shah Afridi moved up two places to 19th, while Haris Rauf gained one spot to reach 22nd.

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DUBAI: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has made a massive leap in the latest ICC T20I rankings on Wednesday, surging into the top five following his outstanding performances in the ongoing tri-series involving Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

Farhan, the highest run-scorer in the series, has accumulated 159 runs in three innings at an impressive average of 79.50 and a strike rate of 157.42, including two half-centuries.

His consistent run-making has earned him 776 points, propelling him eight spots up to fourth in the global T20I batting standings.

Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam also advanced in the rankings after scoring 90 runs in the tri-series at a strike rate of 116.88, moving five places up to 29th with 572 points.

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Opening batter Saim Ayub retained his 37th position with 538 points, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, absent from the tri-series, slipped five spots to 46th with 514 points.

Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman climbed three places to 57th, while T20I captain Salman Ali Agha dropped seven spots to 63rd.

At the top of the batting rankings, India’s Abhishek Sharma continues to lead, followed by England’s Phil Salt and India’s Tilak Varma.

On the bowling front, spinner Abrar Ahmed holds eighth place with 659 points, while fellow spinner Mohammad Nawaz, joint-highest wicket-taker in the tri-series with seven scalps, made a significant leap of 14 places to 13th with 638 points.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi dropped four spots to 18th, Sufiyan Muqeem fell four places to 27th, and Salman Mirza climbed five positions to 38th with 532 points.

Right-arm pacer Haris Rauf slipped seven spots to 46th, while Saim Ayub, who contributes as a part-time bowler, now ranks 51st. Faheem Ashraf jumped nine spots to 53rd, whereas Abbas Afridi dropped 11 places to 66th.

Varun Chakravarthy of India remains the number one T20I bowler, followed by New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan.

In the all-rounder rankings, Mohammad Nawaz climbed one place to seventh, while Faheem Ashraf slipped to 35th and Shaheen Afridi to 59th. Salman Ali Agha dropped three places to 69th, and Abbas Afridi fell six spots to 81st.

Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza claimed the top spot among T20I all-rounders, surpassing Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, with West Indies’ Roston Chase in third place.

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