Babar Azam has been in exceptional form this year, actively working to silence his critics with his bat.
The right-hander has amassed a staggering 588 runs in just ten matches pf PSL, boasting an impressive average of 84 and a strong strike-rate of 146.26.
These consistent and dominant performances are showing glimpses of his prime, creating a strong case that could push national selectors to recall him to the Pakistan set-up.
Opening the batting for Peshawar Zalmi against Islamabad United in a highly anticipated Pakistan Super League (PSL) Qualifier in Karachi, he smashed a breathtaking 103 runs off just 59 balls. His aggressive innings concluded with an explosive strike-rate of 174.57, featuring 12 fours and four sixes.
With this spectacular ton, Babar Azam scripted history by becoming the first cricketer in the world to register nine T20 centuries as a captain. He successfully surpassed the previous world record of eight centuries held by South African veteran Faf du Plessis. What makes the feat even more remarkable is the speed at which it was achieved. Babar reached his ninth century as captain in just 154 matches, significantly outpacing du Plessis, who took 216 matches to hit his eight hundreds.
Most Centuries for a Captain in T20s
| Player | Matches | Innings | Not Outs | Runs | Highest Score | Average | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 154 | 147 | 21 | 5788 | 122 | 45.93 | 9 |
| Faf du Plessis | 216 | 208 | 20 | 6769 | 120* | 36.00 | 8 |
| Michael Klinger | 120 | 114 | 17 | 3916 | 126* | 40.37 | 7 |
| Virat Kohli | 193 | 188 | 36 | 6564 | 113 | 43.18 | 5 |
| James Vince | 236 | 230 | 25 | 6917 | 129* | 33.74 | 5 |
| Ishan Kishan | 36 | 35 | 3 | 1316 | 113* | 41.12 | 4 |
| David Warner | 146 | 146 | 19 | 5417 | 130* | 42.65 | 4 |