Pakistan cricket has a rich history of producing some of the best cricketers in the world. From Imran Khan to Wasim Akram, from Javed Miandad to Inzamam-ul-Haq, the country has given the game some of its greatest talents. And now, a new name has emerged on the scene, a young sensation who is quickly making a name for himself in international cricket: Babar Azam.
Early Life and Career
Babar Azam was born on October 15, 1994, in Lahore, Pakistan. He grew up in a cricketing family; his uncle, Kamran Akmal, and two elder brothers, Adnan and Umar Akmal, have all played for the national team. Babar was introduced to the game at a young age and showed great promise as a batsman. He played for his school team and later for the under-19s, where he was noticed by the selectors for his exceptional talent.
In 2015, Babar made his debut for the national team in a T20I match against Zimbabwe. He scored just a single run in his first game, but it was clear that he had the potential to be a great player. He played his first ODI a few months later, against the same opposition, and scored his maiden century in just his third game. Babar had arrived, and the cricketing world took notice.
Rise to Stardom
Babar’s rise to stardom has been nothing short of meteoric. He quickly established himself as one of the best batsmen in the Pakistani team, scoring runs consistently in all formats of the game. He has a technique that is a delight to watch; he is compact, balanced, and has a wide range of strokes in his repertoire. He has a great eye for the ball and can hit it to all parts of the ground. He is equally comfortable against pace and spin, and his ability to play both off the front foot and the back foot makes him a nightmare for bowlers.
In 2018, Babar was appointed as the captain of the Pakistani T20 team, and he led them to a series win against Australia. He also became the fastest batsman in history to score 1000 runs in T20I cricket, achieving the feat in just 26 innings. In 2019, he was appointed as the captain of the ODI team, and he has continued to lead from the front. Under his leadership, Pakistan won the ODI series against South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe.
Babar’s performances in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup were outstanding. He scored 474 runs in just 8 innings, including a century and three fifties, at an average of 67.71. He was one of the top run-scorers of the tournament and was included in the team of the tournament.
Playing Style
Babar Azam is often compared to the great Virat Kohli for his ability to score runs consistently across all formats of the game. He has a similar playing style to Kohli, with great technique, the ability to play both off the front foot and the back foot, and a wide range of strokes. He is also a very agile fielder and can make some spectacular catches in the outfield. His temperament and focus are also similar to Kohli’s, and he has shown that he can handle pressure situations with ease
