Most T20I catches list for Pakistan: Babar Azam beats Fakhar Zaman with his safe hands

Akshita Patel

Pakistan players (Source: AFP Photos)Pakistan players (Source: AFP Photos)

Pakistan’s modern superstar Babar Azam has added another milestone to his growing list of achievements. But this time, he has aced the fielding department. 

During the T20I Tri-Series final against Sri Lanka, Azam picked two crucial catches to climb up in the list of Pakistan's all-time leading catchers in the T20I format.

Here’s a list of the most catches taken by a Pakistan player in the T20I format history.

5. Umar Akmal - 39 Catches 

At number five is Umar Akmal, who has 39 catches in just 64 T20I innings, which is a stunning statistic. As a wicket-keeper, he had a catch-per-innings ratio of 0.609, which is actually the best catching rate among the top five players. 

In Akmal’s overall career as a wicket-keeper batter, he scored 1690 runs with 26.00 average and 122.73 strike rate, including 8 half-centuries. 

4. Shadab Khan - 40 Catches 

Prominent leg-spinner Shadab Khan is also one of the quickest fielders Pakistan have today. With 40 catches in 112 games, he has proven himself to be a complete all-rounder. 

Shadab mostly fields in key positions like point and cover, where the ball travels fast, making reflex catches extremely difficult. Yet he makes them look easy. As an all-rounder, Shadab has scored 792 runs and claimed 112 wickets in T20Is but was dropped due to an injury.

3. Shoaib Malik - 50 Catches

Pakistan cricket veteran, Shoaib Malik occupies third position in the list with 50 catches in T20Is. Having played T20 cricket from its early days, Malik has fielded in almost every position, such as slips, covers, mid-off, deep mid-wicket, you name it. 

With a long career that spans 15 years, his 0.406 catch-per-innings ratio is a reflection of both durability and skill. Malik was a power-hitter with 2435 runs and 69 sixes to his name. He last played a T20I back in 2021.

2. Fakhar Zaman - 57 Catches 

In second place is the energetic and athletic Fakhar Zaman, who has 57 catches from just 114 matches. Fakhar often fields in the deep, where he uses his speed and strong judgment to grab high balls that look nearly impossible at first glance. 

His catch-per-innings rate of 0.50 is one of the best among Pakistan’s modern-day fielders. Despite not being a permanent member of the T20I team, Fakhar has scored 2357 runs with a 131.97 strike rate, including 13 half-centuries.

1. Babar Azam - 60 Catches 

Pakistan’s modern-day great Babar Azam leads the list with 59 catches in 136 T20Is, which shows just how reliable he is in the field. He achieved this milestone during the T20I Tri-Series 2025 final against Sri Lanka, where Babar grabbed three big catches of Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake.

Most people talk about his classy batting, but his safe pair of hands, especially inside the ring and occasionally in the outfield, has helped Pakistan many times. 

Babar rarely drops chances, and his calm presence under pressure makes him one of the most dependable fielders in the team. With a catch-per-innings ratio of 0.433, he maintains both consistency and longevity.