Babar Azam races past 5,500 runs in ODIs: Key stats
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has completed 5,500 ODI runs. He reached the milestone with his 8th run in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 clash against Afghanistan in Chennai. Babar became the 12th Pakistani batter to get to the landmark. He has been one of the most consistent batters in this format though he has recently struggled for form. Here's more.
The 12th Pakistani batter to achieve this feat in ODIs
As mentioned, Babar has become the 12th Pakistan batter with 5,500-plus ODI runs. He is only behind Inzaman-ul-Haq (11,701), Mohammad Yousuf (9,554), Saeed Anwar (8,824), Shahid Afridi (8,027), Shoaib Malik (7,534), Javed Miandad (7,381), Younis Khan (7,249), Saleem Malik (7,170), Mohammad Hafeez (6,614), Ijaz Ahmed (6,564), and Ramiz Raja (5,841) in terms of ODI runs.
Babar can be the second-fastest to 20 ODI centuries
Babar can become the second-fastest to reach 20 ODI centuries. Playing his 110th ODI innings, Babar has amassed 19 ODI tons. SA's Hashim Amla is the fastest to the 20-century mark in ODIs, having taken just 108 innings. He needs just one more to match Anwar's record of 20 ODI centuries. Anwar holds the record for the most tons in this format for Pakistan.
Babar was the fastest batter to surpass 5,000 ODI runs
Earlier this year, Babar became the fastest to surpass 5,000 ODI runs in only 97 innings. Playing his 113th ODI match, Babar averages 56-plus. Besides 29 fifties, he has hammered 19 centuries. He has maintained an ODI strike rate of 88-plus. Notably, he has the best ODI average among Pakistani batters with at least 1,000 runs in this format.
A look at Babar's ODI form this year
Babar has returned with 830-plus runs from 21 ODI matches at an average of 43-plus in 2023. The tally includes seven fifties and two centuries. He is Pakistan's second-highest run-getter in ODIs this year. Only Mohammad Rizwan with 920-plus ODI runs in 2023 has scored more than him. Meanwhile, he has raced past 230 ODI runs against Afghanistan at a 44-plus average.
