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MELBOURNE: Pakistan’s opening pair Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan have been declared as the world’s best opening pair as numbers in T20I cricket put by the duo are extraordinary, and they broke yet another record in the course of setting up victory over New Zealand on Wednesday.

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According to a report published online, Pakistan’s opening batters produced a superb stand to help their side to victory over New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

The report said although the style and scoring rates of Babar and Rizwan have seen them come in for occasional criticism, as has their form throughout the tournament’s group stage, with the captain particularly out of sorts, yet, the pair’s numbers in T20I cricket are extraordinary, and they broke yet another record in the course of setting up victory over New Zealand.

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The Pakistan openers’ 105-run stand was their third century partnership at a Men’s T20I World Cup, a new record, more than any other pairing in the history of the tournament.

That century stand was also their ninth in all T20Is, comfortably an all-time best, four more than the next-highest pairing of India’s KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, who have five to their name.

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The report says Babar and Rizwan are also the highest-scoring partnership in Men’s T20I history by some distance, combining to put 2509 runs on the board when together at the crease for Pakistan in the format – 621 more than any other pair.

And their average as a pairing is now 51.20. For context, only three duos who have passed 1000 partnership runs have an average of over 40, with no others in excess of 50.

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“Tonight was very special and a few things came out for us,” Pakistan coach Matthew Hayden said after watching his openers turn on the style. “Everyone will talk about Babar and Rizwan … the sky is the limit and both of these guys have done it for Pakistan for a number of years,” he added.