Babar

Azam

Babar Azam Biography and Career

A modern-day batting sensation, Babar Azam is considered one of Pakistan's best cricketers ever. Cousin to Kamran and Umar Akmal, both of whom represented the country, Babar showed interest in the sport as a small child. 

"I loved playing cricket from my childhood. My dad made me play in the streets, and my interest grew. He put me in a club, seeing this. My habit grew from that point," Babar once told ESPN. 

The first-ever professional-level tournament he participated in was an under-15 world championship in 2008, and from there on, there was no looking back. 

The right-hander made his international debut in an ODI against Zimbabwe on May 31, 2015. In his very first outing for Pakistan, he scored a half-century, giving a glimpse into the incredible career that was to follow. Babar made his T20I debut in September 2016 and played his first Test match in October 2016 against the West Indies. Babar went on to cement his place as a linchpin in Pakistan’s batting lineup across all formats. Since 2015, he has shattered numerous records.

Known for his balance and timing, Babar plays with a compact technique that helps him adjust to any situation. His signature cover drives and ability to rotate the strike make him a key player. He plays late against fast bowlers to counter swing and uses quick footwork to dominate spinners, making him a complete batter.

In 2016, during a series against the West Indies, he scored three consecutive centuries, becoming the third player in ODI history to achieve this feat. Later in 2022, he became the first batter to score three consecutive hundreds in ODIs on two separate occasions. These centuries came against Australia. 

He became the fastest Pakistan to 1,000 runs in both ODIs and T20Is and is the fastest batter in ODI cricket history to score 5000 runs in terms of inning (97). He is also the highest run-scorer in the history of the Pakistan Super League and until recently, he was also the captain of the national team. 

Beyond cricket

Off the field, Babar is praised for his humble demeanor and discipline, which have earned him admiration worldwide. Known for his warm gestures, he has often won hearts with simple acts of kindness. During the 2023 World Cup in India, Babar presented the ground staff at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad with a signed jersey as a token of gratitude for their hospitality. Similarly, at the 2024 T20 World Cup, he gifted his gloves to a young fan in the stadium, further cementing his reputation as a fan-favorite cricketer. Babar is a private individual who values his family deeply. He got married in 2023 to his cousin, Nadia, in a traditional ceremony attended by close family and friends. Babar’s grounded personality and strong family ties reflect his upbringing and contribute to his image as a role model both on and off the field.

Babar Azam Records

Babar Azam ODI records 

• Fourth-highest average in ODIs - Babar Azam has the fourth-highest career batting average globally in ODIs (56.73)

• Fastest to 5000 ODI runs (2023) - Against New Zealand In May 2023, he became the fastest to achieve 5000 runs in ODI cricket in terms of innings (97).

• Only batter to score three consecutive ODI centuries twice (2022) - In June 2022, he became the first and only batsman to date to score three consecutive ODI centuries on two separate occasions - against West Indies in 2016 and against Australia in 2022. 

• Fastest to 19 ODI centuries (2023) - With his knock of 151 against Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023, Babar Azam became the fastest to reach 19 ODI centuries. 

Babar Azam Test records 

• Highest run-scorer among active cricketers (2025) - Among players who are still playing Test cricket for Pakistan as of January 2025, Babar Azam is the highest run-scorer with over 4000 runs.

• Highest score of 196 (2022) - His highest individual score in Tests is 196, scored against Australia in Karachi in 2022. 

Babar Azam T20I records 

• Fastest to 2,000 runs (2021) - Against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2021, Babar became the fastest to reach 2,000 runs in the shortest format. 

• Fastest to 2,500 runs (2021) - He became the fastest batter to reach 2500 runs (62 innings), in 2021 against Australia in Dubai.

• Most fours in T20Is (2024) - In April 2024 against New Zealand in Lahore, Babar smashed his 409th four, thus becoming the batter with most fours in T20Is. 

Babar Azam Overall International Records 

• Over 4000 runs in all three formats (2024) - In December 2024, against South Africa in Centurion, Babar crossed 4,000 runs in Test cricket, and became only the third player to score over 4,000 runs in all three formats of the game.

• Most fifties in consecutive innings (2022) - In June 2022 against the West Indies in an ODI, Babar scored his ninth consecutive international fifty, the most by any cricketer in history.

Babar Azam World Cup records 

• Most runs in a single World Cup (2021) - Scored 303 runs at the 2021 T20 World Cup 

• Most runs for Pakistan in a single World Cup (2019) - Scored the most runs for Pakistan at the 2019 ODI World Cup (474)

Babar Azam PSL records 

• Most runs in PSL history - Babar has the most runs in PSL history (3504 runs in 88 innings), and in the 2024 season became the first player to cross 3000+ runs. 

• Most fifties in PSL history - Has scored the most half-centuries in PSL history (35 fifties in 88 innings). 

• Most runs in 2020, 2021 and 2024 - finished as the highest run-scorer in three seasons - 2020, 2021 and 2024.