Asia Cup 2023: Technically-sound Babar Azam’s knock for the ages

Babar Azam. (Photo Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Babar Azam went bonkers against the bowlers, registering his second 150+ score in ODI cricket and his 19th century in the format to help Pakistan post the highest total of 342/6 in Multan in the opening game of Asia Cup 2023.

Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed registered a partnership of 214 runs for the fifth wicket; this was also the highest fifth-wicket partnership for Pakistan in ODIs.

The Pakistan skipper’s knock included 14 fours and four sixes. Moreover, Babar Azam also became the second player to score more than 150 runs in the Asia Cup and the first Pakistan player to do so. His 151-run knock is also the highest score by a captain in the Asia Cup. Iftikhar Ahmed, too, was pivotal in the setting as he registered his maiden ODI century which came in just 67 balls.

Meanwhile, let us look at the stats and numbers achieved by Babar Azam:

151 – Babar Azam scored 151 against Nepal, the second-highest score by a batter in the Asia Cup. Virat Kohli tops the list with 183 against Pakistan in Mirpur in 2012.

2 – Babar Azam registered the score of 150+ for the second time, the second most by a Pakistan batter in ODIs. Only Fakhar Zaman is ahead of him with 3 150+ scores.

151 – Babar Azam’s score of 151 is the highest score by a Pakistani batter in the Asia Cup, surpassing Younis Khan’s tally of 144, which came against Hong Kong in Colombo in 2004

19 – Babar Azam registered his 19th century in an ODI; this is the third-joint most number of centuries by an active player in ODIs along with David Warner. Kohli tops the list with 46, followed by Rohit Sharma 30.

214 – Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed registered a partnership of 214 for the fifth wicket, the highest fifth-wicket partnership for Pakistan. The previous best was between Younis Khan and Umar Akmal (176) in 2009 vs Sri Lanka.

3 – Babar Azam (19) surpassed Sangakkara’s tally of 18 centuries at number three in ODIs. Only Kohli (39) and Ricky Ponting (29) are ahead of him.

6 – Babar Azam registered his sixth home century as captain, the third most by any captain in ODIs. Ricky Ponting tops the list with ten centuries, while Virat Kohli has nine centuries.

3 – Babar Azam became the third Pakistan player to score a century in the Asia Cup.

151 – Babar Azam (151) registered the highest score of 151 by a captain in the Asia Cup, and he also is the only captain to score 150 or more in the Asia Cup.

102 – Babar Azam registered his 19th century in 102 innings, the fewest innings to complete 19 ODI hundreds. Hashim Amla is next on the list with 104 innings.