Virat Kohli matches Babar Azam's record with half-century in T20 World Cup final

Prior to this match, Kohli had only scored 75 runs in the first seven matches of the tournament

In the T20 World Cup final held at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, Virat Kohli delivered a standout performance, hitting a 48-ball fifty and finishing with 76 off 59 balls against South Africa.

Kohli's remarkable innings came after a slow start to the tournament, where he had only managed 75 runs in the first seven matches. After India found themselves at 23-2, Kohli formed a crucial partnership with Axar Patel.

His 39th fifty-plus score in men's T20I cricket ties him with Babar Azam, who achieved the same milestone in 123 matches, compared to Kohli's 126.

Also read: Rohit Sharma backs Virat Kohli performance for T20 World Cup final

Following his fifty, Kohli accelerated his scoring rate, adding 26 runs in just 11 balls to help India set a formidable total of 176 for 7 in their 20 overs. This total is now the highest-ever in T20 World Cup finals while batting first, surpassing New Zealand's 172/4 against Australia in the 2021 final.

Most fifty-plus scores in men’s T20Is:

1. Babar Azam - 39 in 123 matches
2. Virat Kohli - 39 in 126 matches
3. Rohit Sharma - 37 in 159 matches
4. Mohammad Rizwan - 30 in 102 matches

Kohli's performance was instrumental in setting a challenging target for South Africa, highlighting his enduring class and ability to perform on the big stage.