Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan etched his name into the record books on Saturday, eclipsing Virat Kohli’s long-standing record for the most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition. During Pakistan’s final Super 8 fixture against Sri Lanka, the 29-year-old reached the milestone within the Powerplay, surpassing the 319-run benchmark Kohli set back in 2014. Farhan entered the match with 283 runs across five appearances, highlighted by a century against Namibia, and moved to the top of the all-time single-tournament list with a composed yet aggressive half-century off 35 deliveries.
All-Time Leaderboard: Most Runs in a Single T20 World Cup
With his performance at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Farhan now leads an elite group of legendary batters.
Sahibzada Farhan (2026): 323* runs
Virat Kohli (2014): 319 runs
Tillakaratne Dilshan (2009): 317 runs
Babar Azam (2021): 303 runs
Mahela Jayawardene (2010): 302 runs
Bold Selection Calls and Semis Math
The record-breaking feat came amidst a dramatic overhaul of the Pakistan lineup. In a move that signaled a shift toward high-intent batting, the team management benched senior batter Babar Azam, alongside Saim Ayub and Salman Mirza. In their stead, Khawaja Nafay, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed were drafted into the XI.
Sri Lanka also shuffled their deck for their final home appearance, bringing in Kamil Mishara and Janith Liyanage for Kusal Mendis and Dushan Hemantha.
The Semi-Final Scenario for Pakistan
Despite Farhan’s individual brilliance, the collective task for Pakistan remains steep. Having been put in to bat first, the “Men in Green” are faced with a clear mathematical challenge to overhaul New Zealand’s Net Run Rate:
The Target: Pakistan must secure a victory by a minimum margin of 64 runs.
The Stakes: A win smaller than this margin, or a defeat, will see them join Sri Lanka on the flight home, while New Zealand would advance to the final four.
