Even though Babar Azam had a rare failure as he scored only 17 runs in the Super 4 match of the Asia Cup 2023 against Bangladesh in Lahore, the Pakistan captain still managed to break another big record that had previously been held by India’s Virat Kohli.
Pakistan started the Super 4 round with a 7-wicket win over Bangladesh at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday, chasing down the target of 194 runs in 39.3 overs with 7 wickets in hand, courtesy of Imam-ul-Haq’s 78 runs innings followed by Mohammad Rizwan’s 63* knock.
Babar Azam scored 17 runs in 22 balls, hitting one four, before he was clean-bowled by seamer Taskin Ahmed.
Babar Azam takes down another record of Virat Kohli
Despite this rare ODI failure for the number 1 ranked ICC Men’s ODI batsman, Babar Azam broke a long-standing record of Virat Kohli.
Babar Azam is now the fastest (in terms of innings) to score 2,000 ODI runs as captain. He achieved this record in his 31st knock as Pakistan’s ODI skipper, breaking Virat Kohli’s record of 36 innings to score 2000 ODI runs as India’s captain.
Third and 4th on this list are former South African skipper AB de Villiers, who reached 2000 ODI runs as the South African skipper in 41 knocks, while Australia’s Michael Clarke needed 47 innings.
Babar had hit 151 vs Nepal earlier in the Asia Cup opener in Multan. That was his 19th ODI century, and he is now only one behind Pakistan’s top ODI centurion, Saeed Anwar, who had taken 244 ODI knocks for 21 centuries. Babar also broke Hashim Amla’s record of being the fastest to 19 ODI tons – Alma took 104 ODI innings while Babar Azam achieved it in 102 knocks. Virat Kohli had taken 124 innings for the same feat.
It was fast bowler Haris Rauf’s four-wicket haul that downed Bangladesh. Rauf dismissed opener Mohammad Naim, middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy, veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, and tailender Taskin Ahmed.
Pakistan’s next game is now against India in the Super 4 round, on September 10 in Colombo. A win in that match will seal their place in the final of the Asia Cup 2023.
