UAE captain Muhammad Waseem creates history with T20I milestone

Dubai: UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem etched his name in the history books by becoming the first player from his country — and the third-fastest overall — to reach 3,000 runs in T20 Internationals. He is just the 11th player globally to achieve this milestone.

Waseem reached the landmark during the Asia Cup clash against Oman in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Bouncing back from a disappointing team performance against India, he anchored the innings with a composed 69 off 54 balls, striking six fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 127.77.

Among T20I run leaders, Waseem now finds himself in elite company. The top three are India’s Rohit Sharma (4,231 runs in 159 matches, averaging 32.05 with a strike rate of 140.89), Pakistan’s Babar Azam (4,223 runs in 128 matches at 39.83 average, 129.22 strike rate), and Virat Kohli (4,188 runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.69).

In 84 T20I matches, Waseem has now accumulated 3,010 runs at an impressive average of 38.10 and an explosive strike rate of 154.12. His tally includes three centuries and 24 fifties, with a highest score of 112. He is currently the 11th-highest run-scorer in T20I history.

Waseem reached the 3,000-run mark in just 82 innings — making him the third-fastest to the milestone, behind Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan (79 innings) and joint-second holders Babar Azam and Virat Kohli (81 innings each).