Sahibzada Farhan shatters Abhishek Sharma's all-time T20I record

Skipper Sahibzada Farhan wins Player of the Series award against Sri Lanka after record-breaking performance

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This collage shows Pakistans Sahibzada Farhan and Indian batter Abhishek Sharma. — PCB/AFP
This collage shows Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan and Indian batter Abhishek Sharma. — PCB/AFP

Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan on Tuesday broke India’s Abhishek Sharma’s record for the most runs scored in a three-match bilateral T20I series between two full member nations. 

Farhan, who was named Pakistan's full-time T20I captain ahead of the series against Sri Lanka, made his first home assignment in the leadership role memorable as the right-handed batter registered half-centuries in each of the three fixtures.

The Pakistan captain finished with 238 runs at an astounding average of 79.33 and a strike rate of 165.27, and was thus adjudged the Player of the Series.

As a result, Farhan broke Abhishek's record of scoring the most runs in a three-match bilateral series between two full-member International Cricket Council (ICC) nations.

The Indian opener set the record during the world champions' three-match home series against Afghanistan earlier this year, during which he accumulated 229 runs at 76.33, scoring one century and a fifty.

Farhan started the series against Sri Lanka with a match-winning 53-ball 89, featuring 10 fours and four sixes, which helped the home side comfortably chase down the 183-run target and prevail by four wickets.

The 30-year-old was equally exceptional in the subsequent fixture as he scored 73 off just 44 deliveries, which helped the Green Shirts pile up a mammoth total of 215/3. In turn, Sri Lanka could only manage 133/7 in their 20 overs and thus succumbed to a series-conceding defeat.

Farhan continued his rich vein of form in the last fixture of the series and played a defiant 76-run knock, which came off just 47 deliveries, and lifted Pakistan to a formidable total against Sri Lanka. But his efforts went in vain as the visitors comfortably chased down the total to register a consolation victory.

Most runs in three-match bilateral T20I series

  • Abhishek Sharma (India) – 229 runs against Afghanistan in 2026
  • Colin Munro (New Zealand) – 223 runs against West Indies in 2017-18
  • David Warner (Australia) – 217 runs against Sri Lanka in 2019