Babar Azam completes 1,000 Test runs in 2022, shatters records
The purple patch of Pakistan captain Babar Azam continues! He slammed his second half-century of the ongoing Karachi Test (against England) on Day 3. Babar, who fell for a well-made 54, scored 78 in the first innings. In the process, he completed 1,000 runs in the format in 2022. Babar has become the first Pakistan skipper to do so in a calendar year.
Why does this story matter?
Babar continues to break records across formats this year. He finished as Pakistan's highest run-scorer in the three-match Test series against England. Babar's blade did the talking even though Pakistan lost the series. He is one of the four batsmen to have racked up 1,000 Test runs in 2022. And now, Babar has yet again entered the record books.
1,000 Test runs for skipper Babar
Babar has become the first-ever Pakistan skipper to have completed 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year. Inzamam-ul-Haq previously held the record for the most Test runs by a Pakistan skipper in a year. He scored 999 Test runs in 2005. Meanwhile, Babar has amassed 1,009 runs from eight Tests at an average of 67.26 this year so far.
Babar equals this feat of Inzamam
Babar now has 10 fifty-plus scores in Test cricket this year (seven fifties, three centuries). He has equaled Inzamam's record of the most fifty-plus Test scores by a Pakistan captain in a calendar year. The latter slammed four tons and six half-centuries in 2005.
Fourth batter with 1,000 Test runs in 2022
Babar is the fourth batsman to have touched the 1,000-run mark in Test cricket in 2022. He is only behind Joe Root (1,098), Usman Khawaja (1,079), and Jonny Bairstow (1,061) in terms of Test runs this year. In the Karachi Test, Babar surpassed Australia's Marnus Labuchagne on this list (943). Among Pakistan batters, Abdullah Shafique is Babar's closest rival with 799 runs.
Most international runs as captain in 2022
Babar is miles ahead of anyone else when it comes to international runs by a captain in 2022. He scored 2,423 runs while leading Pakistan in 43 matches across formats at an average of 52.67. The tally includes 17 half-centuries and seven fifties. Among Full Member nations, Indian captain Rohit Sharma follows Babar. The latter finished the year with 995 international runs (as captain).
Babar emulates Ricky Ponting's record
In the second innings during the Karachi Test, Babar brought up his 26th Test fifty. It was his 24th fifty-plus score as captain this year, now the joint-most by a player across formats in a calendar year, with Ricky Ponting.
