While speaking about best batsman in cricket, India’s Virat Kohli and Australia’s Steve Smith comes in mind. But cricket fans never forget the most under rated batsman from Pakistan.
The player from Pakistan always have his name in competition with India’s run machine. The 25 year old Babar Azam is currently one of the top batting talents to have emerged from Pakistan and he has drawn comparisons with Kohli and Smith. He has scored 6680 across formats since making an international debut in 2015.
Babar Azam
Mohammad Babar Azam (born 15 October 1994) is a Pakistani cricketer who is the Captain of Pakistan National Team in T20 Internationals and Vice-Captain in One Day Internationals. He is a right-handed top-order batsman, Babar is regarded as one of the best White Ball Batsmen in the world. He plays for Karachi Kings In The Pakistan Super League.
“There is no doubt about Babar Azam’s ability, he is a world-class player,” Ramiz was quoted as saying by PTI.
Babar Azam averages over 50 in limited-overs formats, in Tests he averages 45.12 and was even appointed as Pakistan’s T20I captain last October.
“When people ask me about the comparison between Babar Azam with the likes of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith I would say he can do even better than Kohli but he needs a conducive atmosphere and the freedom to express himself more as a player and as captain.”
Records and achievements[edit]
Most runs in a calendar year / series
- Most ODI runs in 2016 by a Pakistani cricketer.
- Most ODI runs in 2017 by a Pakistani cricketer.
- Most ODI runs in 2019 by a Pakistani cricketer.
- Most Test runs in 2018 by a Pakistani batsman.
- Most Test runs in 2019 by a Pakistani batsman.
- Most runs (360) scored in a three-match ODI series.
Awards
- PCB’s ODI Player of the year: 2017
- ICC World ODI XI: 2017
- PCB’s T20I Player of the year: 2018
- ICC World ODI XI: 2019