Entering the contest with 15,993 runs to his name, the star batter required just seven more to cross the threshold. He reached the mark in the fourth over of the innings, having arrived at the crease following the dismissal of Saim Ayub by Dilshan Madushanka. Babar successfully reached the milestone off his sixth delivery, striking a three against Asitha Fernando.
Joining Pakistan's Batting Legends
By reaching this tally in his 355th international appearance, Babar joins an exclusive group of Pakistani legends who have previously scaled the 16,000-run peak. The list includes Inzamam-ul-Haq, who remains the country's leading run-scorer with 20,541 runs, followed by Younis Khan with 17,790, Mohammad Yousuf with 17,134, and Javed Miandad, who concluded his career with 16,213 runs.
While the milestone marked a personal high point in the match, Babar's innings was eventually halted at 45 runs. He was dismissed by Eshan Malinga, with the catch taken by Pavan Rathnayake. Since his international debut in 2015, the right-hander has remained a consistent presence for Pakistan across all three formats of the game.
On the global stage, the record for the most international runs remains held by India’s Sachin Tendulkar, who amassed 34,357 runs between 1989 and 2013. His compatriot Virat Kohli currently sits second on the all-time list with 28,527 runs.
