26 August 2020

Eoin Morgan v Babar Azam: Focus on captains ahead of England-Pakistan T20 series

26 August 2020

England play Pakistan in a three-match T20 series over the next week with much of the focus on respective captains Eoin Morgan and Babar Azam.

Here, the PA news agency looks at how the two skippers shape up in the short form of international cricket.

Captaincy

Irishman Morgan holds the record for most games as captain of the England T20 team with 46 matches – 27 wins and 19 defeats. Babar Azam was named Pakistan’s T20 skipper last October for a series against Australia, which was lost 2-0. But Babar squared up his four-game record with a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh in January.

Matches

England v Ireland – Third One Day International – Ageas Bowl (PA Wire)

Morgan made his debut in a World Cup clash with Holland in 2009 and is one of the most experienced players in international T20 cricket. He has played 89 games, with only seven men ahead of him in terms of appearances. Babar made his debut against Zimbabwe and has won 38 T20 caps for his country.

Runs

Bangladesh v India – ICC Cricket World Cup – Group Stage – Edgbaston (PA Archive)

Only six players – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Martin Guptill, Shoaib Malik, David Warner and Brendon McCullum – have more international T20 runs than Morgan’s 2,138. Morgan has an average of 30.98 and a top score of 91 from 41 balls against New Zealand in 2019. Babar has scored 1,471 runs at an impressive average of 50.72, second only to Kohli’s 50.80. His top score of 97 not out came in a 58-ball innings against the West Indies in 2018.

Strike rate

New Zealand v Pakistan – ICC Cricket World Cup – Group Stage – Edgbaston (PA Archive)

Morgan has the edge over Babar on strike rate with 137.49 from 1,555 balls faced. He has scored 13 fifties in his 87 T20 innings and has overall hit 160 fours and 105 sixes. Babar has a strike rate of 128.13 from 1,148 balls faced. He has also 13 fifties, with 146 fours and 21 sixes on his record.

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