(Cricket news) Pakistan team has been having one of the best batting partnerships this year in their T20 formats. The openers combined have scored 1,672 runs this year in 36 innings and are the leading run scorers in T20 in 2021. Both have broken records and are in the run to create new ones. Mohammad Rizwan has scored 951 runs in 18 innings with one century and nine half centuries and is soon to become the first player ever to score 1000 runs in a single season in the T20 format. 

Rizwan is also the first player to go past the 800 and 900 run mark in T20 in a year as Ireland’s Paul Stirling held the record of most runs in a season with 748 runs in the 2019 season. He has scored 199 runs in 4 matches at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup and has had a top class season as a batter. Rizwan’s form has given Pakistan an advantage as the runs come pouring in especially in the opening 6 overs during powerplay.

Babar Azam has been the god gifted partner to Rizwan, Azam is the senior as he has already established himself as an upcoming player in the team. Azam is already the second highest scorer for his team in T20 and is only 80 runs behind Mohammad Hafeez although Hafeez has played 56 innings more than him. Azam has scored 198 runs in 4 matches with three fifties and has been a consistent performer for the team.

The openers have given the team quick runs and have been a very successful pair in the T20 format. Both somehow manage to cover up if one fails as seen in this World Cup but their best performance came in the first match against India while building an unbeaten 147 run partnership to agonise the bowlers. Babar plays more defensive than Rizwan as Rizwan takes more risks and goes for the big ones. Azam can stay patient and slowly build the innings while his partner takes care of the asking run rate and boundaries.

Pakistan has had a history of great pacers but now maybe it's time to bring in some batters to take over the legacy. With the likes of Hafeez and Shoaib Malik on the side, the young players can learn a lot to bring in more accolades for the country in the sport. Babar is on top of the ICC T20 batting rankings while Rizwan is 4th on the list. With Pakistan into the semifinals, they will have a chance to win the cup when the openers will once again give them the perfect start.

Also read: T20 World Cup: Pakistan progress into the semi-finals with 45 run win over Namibia