Pakistan become first to play 150th T20 International

By
Mushtaq A. Subhani
Pakistan´s Shaheen Afridi (2R) celebrates with captain Babar Azam (R) after taking the wicket of Bangladesh´s Soumya Sarkar (L) during the first T20 international cricket match of a three-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on January 24, 2020.—AFP photo

Pakistan have become the first cricket country to play 150 Twenty20 Internationals when they defeated Bangladesh on Friday at their own home ground.

Friday's victory by five wickets and three balls to spare was Pakistan's 92nd (which includes a tie won in a tie-breaker) in the shortest format of the game.

Against their 92 victories, Pakistan have been defeated 57 times (including two losing ties), which puts their success rate at 62.08 percent. Only one T20I played by Pakistan ended in no result.

Other countries who have played the most T20 Internationals behind Pakistan were India (130), New Zealand (127), Sri Lanka (126), Australia (122), and West Indies (122).

Only two other countries have also appeared in 100 or more T20Is — South Africa (115) and England (114).

In all, 71 countries have so far played T20 International cricket.

Pakistan have enjoyed supremacy in this shorter format of the game since the start and are still on top of the ICC T20I Rankings with 270 points, followed by Australia (269).

The Green Shirts must win the remaining two matches of the current home series against Bangladesh to maintain their number one position on the T20I rankings.