Pakistan lands a fresh T20 milestone, and Babar pockets a special record of his own

WEB DESK: Pakistan cricket added another glittering chapter to its T20 history on Sunday, sealing a new national record for most T20 wins in a calendar year, and Babar Azam, ever the headline-maker, walked away with a personal milestone that pushed him into all-time elite company.

The men in green won against Sri Lanka in the final of the tri-nation T20 tournament, defeating the visiting team by six wickets. After the islanders set a modest 114-run target, Pakistan chased it down in the 19th over with four wickets in hand. Contributions from Sahibzada Farhan (23), Saim Ayub (36) and Babar Azam (37) ensured the team finished the year’s campaign with yet another victory.

That win carried more weight than just a tournament triumph. It elevated Pakistan to a record 21 T20 victories in 2025 from 34 matches, the most wins they have ever collected in a single year, underscoring the squad’s consistency in the shortest format.

But the night belonged just as much to Babar Azam. The former captain etched his name deeper into cricket’s record books by overtaking Shahid Afridi for the third-most catches by a Pakistani in international cricket. Babar’s three grabs in the final, including the catch of Kusal Mendis, lifted his tally to 170, surpassing Afridi’s 167. Only Younis Khan (281) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (194) sit above him.

Babar also rewrote Pakistan’s T20I fielding records, becoming the country’s top catcher in the format with 60 catches, edging ahead of Fakhar Zaman (57) and Shoaib Malik (50). On a night where Pakistan secured a year-defining achievement, Babar Azam ensured he carved out a slice of history for himself as well, proving once again why he remains one of the sport’s most enduring and endearing figures.