Babar Azam equals Jos Buttler’s prestigious T20 record during the BBL|15

On January 1, 2026, Pakistan’s leadoff batter Babar Azam reached a major career milestone during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15character level with the former England captain As Butler in the T20 record books. Representing the Sydney Sixers against the Renegades from Melbourne at Docklands Stadium, Babar anchored a successful chase with an unbeaten 58 off 46 deliveries.

Babar Azam equals Jos Buttler’s elite T20 record

Babar’s latest feat has officially placed him alongside Buttler as the joint third-highest fifty-run scorer in T20 history. Although both players now share a career total of 97 half-centuries, the efficiency with which Babar achieved the target is remarkable as he needed significantly fewer matches than his English counterpart to achieve the same result.

The former Pakistan captain achieved the milestone in his 333rd T20 match, which also includes 11 centuries, while Buttler achieved the milestone in 476 matches with eight centuries to his name. The record for most half-centuries in the format remains with the former Australian great David Warnerwho has 113 fifties in 428 matches.

Top T20 half-centuries (as of January 2026):

• David Warner: 113
• Virat Kohli: 105
• Babar Azam / Jos Butler: 97
• Alex Hales: 92

Also READ: BBL|15: Check out the complete list of Pakistan and Bangladesh players playing in the Big Bash League

Babar’s BBL 15 journey: Finding form after a challenging start

Babar’s stint at the Sydney Sixers in BBL 15 was a journey of adaptation and resilience, marked by a slow start followed by match-winning performances with big impact. Going into 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 and notched 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 amassed 129 runs at an average of 32.25, providing the stability the Sixers need at the top of the table as they climb to fifth in the points table. His ability to anchor the innings kept teammates happy Joel Davies to clear, ultimately ending the Sixers’ losing streak and setting up a perfect start to the 2026 calendar year.

READ also: BBL|15: Cricket Australia unveils full schedule for Big Bash League 2025-26