Pakistan’s opener Sahibzada Farhan aims to make history in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. His recent performance puts Virat Kohli’s 12-year-old record in jeopardy.
Farhan hit 63 runs against England in their Super 8 match, bringing his tournament total to 283 runs. He has one century and two half-centuries in five innings, making him the highest run-scorer in the tournament so far.
He is just 36 runs away from breaking Virat Kohli’s long-standing record.
Kohli’s 319-Run Record at Risk
Virat Kohli set the record for the most runs in a single edition of the T20 World Cup, scoring 319 runs in 2014. This record has stood for 12 years without being broken.
Farhan needs to score 37 runs in his next match to surpass Kohli’s total and set a new record. Many top players have come close, but none have succeeded in breaking it.
In 2009, Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 317 runs, and in 2021, Babar Azam accumulated 303 runs. Other notable scores include Mahela Jayawardene’s 302 runs in 2010 and Kohli’s own 296 in 2022.
Despite several close attempts, no one has surpassed the 319 runs mark yet.
Most Runs in a Single Edition of T20 World Cup
| Runs | Player | Team | Year |
| 319 | Virat Kohli | India | 2014 |
| 317 | Tillakaratne Dilshan | Sri Lanka | 2009 |
| 303 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 2021 |
| 302 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 2010 |
| 296 | Virat Kohli | India | 2022 |
| 295 | Tamim Iqbal | Bangladesh | 2016 |
| 289 | David Warner | Australia | 2021 |
| 283 | Sahibzada Farhan | Pakistan | 2026 |
| 281 | Mohammad Rizwan | Pakistan | 2021 |
| 281 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | 2024 |
Pakistan’s Chances Depend on Farhan
Pakistan’s path to the semi-finals became challenging after their loss to England in the Super 8 stage. They need to win their final Super 8 match against Sri Lanka and hope New Zealand loses both of their matches.
If Pakistan advances to the semi-finals, Farhan will have another chance to break the record. If they lose, the match against Sri Lanka could be his last opportunity this tournament.
All eyes are on Farhan to see if he can score the 37 runs needed to surpass Kohli’s 319 runs and make history.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is at a critical point, with Pakistan needing a win and Farhan aiming for a record.
