Agencies
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.