RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s run-machine Babar Azam finally ended his long wait for a century, smashing a drought-breaking ton against Sri Lanka in the second ODI at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday. With this knock, the star batter equaled Saeed Anwar’s record for the most ODI centuries by a Pakistani, marking a massive return to form.
The right-hander brought up his much-anticipated 32nd international century and 20th ODI ton off 115 balls, nudging a single off Pramod Madushan to reach the milestone. This feat puts him level with the legendary Saeed Anwar, who also registered 20 ODI hundreds in his illustrious career.
For context, Babar’s journey back to triple figures has been a long one. Since his last century — a majestic 151 against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup, he had scored 20 half-centuries across formats but couldn’t cross the 100-run mark. The dry spell stretched across 15 months and 84 international innings.
Despite showing promise in the first ODI of the series, where Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed him with a clever googly, Babar looked determined this time. His patience and class paid off as he finally broke the 807-day wait in front of a roaring Rawalpindi crowd.
Most ODI Centuries for Pakistan
- Babar Azam: 20 centuries in 136 innings
- Saeed Anwar: 20 centuries in 244 innings
- Mohammad Yousuf: 15 centuries in 267 innings
- Fakhar Zaman: 11 centuries in 90 innings
With this milestone, Babar Azam not only reaffirms his place among Pakistan’s batting greats but also signals that the best of him might be returning right on time.
Stay tuned for more updates from the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka series!
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