Ace Pakistan batter Babar Azam is just 40 runs away from breaking Rohit Sharma's record in T20Is, as he eyes a resurgence in form in the shortest format. Babar, who has till now scored 4192 runs in T20Is, will overtake Rohit as the highest run-scorer in the format if he scores 40 runs in the series. Pakistan, who had a topsy-turvy outing Down Under, will look to put up a better performance in the Rainbow Nation.

Although Pakistan have multiple impactful batters in their team, all eyes will be on Babar, as the veteran batter eyes T20I resurgence on Protean soil. His last five T20I innings haven't been up to the mark and he will look to redeem himself against South Africa.

Babar will also eye another record, that of ace India batter Virat Kohli. Both of them are currently tied on 39 fifty-plus scores in T20Is. Just one more half-century in the shortest format from Babar will take him past Kohli, to the top of the illustrious list.

Babar will also be wary of getting level with Kohli on an embarrassing list. If he gets out without scoring, he will equal Kohli's tally of seven ducks in T20Is.

Babar last featured in a T20I against Australia last month when he scored a 28-ball 41. His last fifty-plus score in the format came in May when he scored a 45-ball 72 against Ireland.

There is no T20 World Cup until 2026 and none of the players part of the South Africa Test team will be available for the first T20I, which is in Durban. Aside from skipper Heinrich Klaasen, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi, it is not clear any of the other names in that team will get into a full-strength XI.

Pakistan last played South Africa in a T20I series back in 2021, which they won 3-1 against the home side. Babar was the top run-scorer in that series, at a stunning average of 52.5.

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