Pakistan captain Babar Azam is on a run-scoring and record-breaking spree in ODI cricket. The number 1 ranked ICC Men’s ODI batsman, Babar Azam, amassed 151 runs in 131 balls on Wednesday in Multan against Nepal in Pakistan’s big victory by 238 runs to kick-start the Asia Cup 2023 campaign in style.
Their next clash is the marquee encounter against India on Saturday in Kandy.
Babar Azam recorded his 19th ODI century in his 102nd ODI innings and is 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
Babar Azam set to break another record of Virat Kohli
Babar is eyeing more records of Virat Kohli in the coming matches. In fact, he could break another of Kohli’s records when the two meet on Saturday itself.
Virat Kohli currently holds the record for the fastest batsman to 2000 ODI runs as captain. Kohli achieved it in 36 innings. However, Babar Azam already has 1994 runs as Pakistan’s ODI captain in only 30 innings. So the Pakistani skipper needs to score only 6 more runs in his next 5 knocks to break Virat Kohli’s record of fastest to 2000 ODI runs as a captain.
Babar Azam says appreciation from Virat Kohli made him proud
Speaking with Star Sports, Azam said that appreciation from Virat Kohli made him feel very proud. Last year, Kohli had praised Babar and called him one of the best in the world.
“It feels very good when someone passes comments like that about you,” Babar Azam told Star Sports. “Virat Kohli’s comments about me, that was a very proud moment for me and it felt very good. Some things and some praises give you confidence.”
“I went to meet him during the 2019 World Cup,” he added. “He was at his peak then and is there now as well. I wanted to take (learn) something from him. I got to learn a lot. I asked him some questions which I needed answers to and he explained everything very nicely.”
