On January 1, 2026, Pakistan’s premier batter Babar Azam reached a significant career milestone during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15, drawing level with former England captain Jos Buttler in the T20 record books. Representing the Sydney Sixers against the Melbourne Renegades at Docklands Stadium, Babar anchored a successful chase with an unbeaten 58 off 46 deliveries.
Babar Azam matches Jos Buttler’s elite T20 record
Babar’s latest performance has officially placed him alongside Buttler as the joint third-highest fifty-run scorer in T20 history. While both players now share a tally of 97 career half-centuries, the efficiency with which Babar reached the mark is notable, having taken significantly fewer matches than his English counterpart to achieve the same result.
The former Pakistan captain achieved this milestone in his 333rd T20 match, which also includes 11 centuries, while Buttler reached the mark in 476 matches with eight centuries to his name. The record for the most half-centuries in the format remains with former Australian great David Warner, who has 113 fifties in 428 matches.
Top T20 Half-Centuries (as of January 2026):
- David Warner: 113
- Virat Kohli: 105
- Babar Azam / Jos Buttler: 97
- Alex Hales: 92
Babar’s BBL 15 journey: Finding form after a challenging start
Babar’s stint with the Sydney Sixers in BBL 15 has been a journey of adaptation and resilience, characterized by a slow start followed by high-impact match-winning performances. Entering his debut season in Australia, the 31-year-old initially struggled with the extra bounce and movement, recording scores of 2, 9 and 2 in his early outings.
However, he has since found his rhythm, registering two crucial half-centuries in his last three matches, a 58 in the Sydney derby against the Thunder and his most recent unbeaten 58 against the Renegades. Currently, he has accumulated 129 runs at an average of 32.25, providing the stability the Sixers need at the top of the order as they climb to fifth on the points table. His ability to anchor the innings allowed teammates like Joel Davies to play freely, ultimately ending the Sixers’ losing streak and providing a perfect start to the 2026 calendar year.
