RAWALPINDI: Captain Babar Azam crossed another milestone in international cricket as he became the second fastest Asian batter to score 12,000 international runs after he scored another six runs in the first ODI against New Zealand on Thursday.
The top-ranked ODI batsman accumulated 12,000 runs in international cricket when he scored his sixth run in the first Pakistan vs New Zealand ODI.
The Pakistan’s batting superstar Babar Azam, the right-handed batter, took just 277 innings to amass the landmark runs and became the fastest Pakistani and second-fastest Asian batter to achieve the feat. However, he failed to level Virat Kohli’s record by difference of only one inning. Kohli had achieved the distinction in 276 matches.
He is the sixth-fastest overall around the world to get to the milestone. West Indies batting great Sir Vivian Richards was the fastest batter to complete 12,000 runs as he took just 255 innings. Meanwhile, Azam is overall the eighth Pakistani batter to complete 12,000 runs in the international cricket. He joined Inzamam-ul-Haq (20541), Mohammad Yousaf (17134), Javed Miandad (16213), Saleem Malik (12938), Saeed Anwar (12876), Mohammad Hafeez (12780) and Younis Khan (11790) in the elite list. Babar Azam has so far scored 3,696 runs in 85 Test inning, 4,819 runs in 94 ODI innings, and 3,485 in 98 T20I innings.
It is pertinent to mention here that New Zealand set Pakistan to chase 289 in the first ODI after Babar Azam put the touring side into bat after winning the toss. Experienced all-rounder Daryl Mitchell led the charge for New Zealand as he scored a magnificent 113 off 115 deliveries, laced with 11 boundaries and a six while Will Young scored a brilliant half-century.
