Babar Azam slams 11th fifty-plus score in 12 ODIs: Stats
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam scored a valiant fifty in the second ODI versus New Zealand albeit in a losing cause. He ended up scoring 79 off 114 balls (8 fours, one six). Notably, this was Babar's 11th 50-plus score in his last 12 ODI innings. Even his average has now gone past 60 in the format. Here we look at his stats in ODIs.
A gritty knock from Babar
Pakistan, who were 1-0 up in the series, needed to chase down 262 to clinch the second ODI. The Kiwi bowlers were on the money as except for Babar, no other Pakistan batter could breach the 30-run mark. The 28-year-old eventually fell to leg-spinner Ish Sodhi as Pakistan got bundled out for 182, losing the contest by 79 runs.
A look at Babar's ODI numbers
Babar, who made his ODI debut in May 2015, now owns 4,809 runs in 94 games. The tally includes 17 tons and 24 half-centuries. Among Pakistanis, only former opener Saeed Anwar has more centuries in ODIs (20). His average of 60.11 is the highest among batters with at least 1,600 ODI runs. The stylish batter also boasts a healthy strike rate of 89.17.
Babar attains this feat
As mentioned, Babar has registered 11 fifty-plus scores in his last 12 ODI innings. Moreover, he is only among the three batters to score 900-plus runs in 11 consecutive ODI innings. Virat Kohli and David Warner are the others with this feat. Babar's scores in the last 12 ODI innings read 158, 57, 114, 105*, 103, 77, 1, 74, 57, 91, 66, and 79.
Babar was on a roll in 2022
In 2022, Babar led Pakistan by example in the limited ODIs where his blade also did the talking. He smashed 679 runs at an incredible average of 84.87 and a strike rate of 90.77. He registered eight 50+ scores in these matches, including three centuries and five half-centuries. Babar was the only Pakistani batter to have smashed over 600 ODI runs that year.
The summary of 2nd ODI
NZ lost Finn Allen in the first over itself after they elected to bat. Kane Williamson (85), alongside Devon Conway (101), took the Black Caps past the 180-run mark. NZ, who were 183/1 at one stage, suffered a collapse and got folded for 261. Mohammad Nawaz took four wickets. Except for Babar, none of the other Pakistan batters could turn up in the chase.
