Pakistan’s modern-day batting great, Babar Azam, is standing on the edge of cricket history as the ODI series against the West Indies kicks off today at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
The former Pakistan captain already has 19 centuries to his name in the 50-over format, the last of which came against Nepal in 2023. Now, he is just one knock away from equalling Saeed Anwar’s long-standing record of most ODI hundreds for Pakistan.
Chasing Saeed Anwar’s Legacy
Saeed Anwar’s elegance at the crease defined a generation of Pakistani cricket fans. Over a career spanning 247 matches and 244 innings, the left-handed maestro scored 20 centuries, setting a benchmark that has stood for over two decades.
Babar, however, has reached 19 centuries in only 131 matches, which speaks volumes about his consistency and class. If he scores two hundreds in this three-match series, he will not just equal but surpass Anwar’s tally, becoming Pakistan’s outright leader in ODI centuries.
Most ODI Centuries for Pakistan
- Saeed Anwar – 20 centuries in 247 matches
- Babar Azam – 19* centuries in 131 matches
- Mohammad Yousuf – 15 centuries in 281 matches
- Fakhar Zaman – 11 centuries in 82 matches
- Mohammad Hafeez – 11 centuries in 218 matches
Closing In On a Global Milestone Too
This is not just about a Pakistan record. Babar also has the chance to become the second-fastest player in ODI history to reach 20 centuries.
The record for the quickest to the mark belongs to South Africa’s Hashim Amla, who took only 108 innings. Next on the list is India’s Virat Kohli, who achieved the feat in 133 innings.
Babar currently has 19 centuries from 128 innings. That means if he gets to his 20th ton in the next four innings, he will leapfrog Kohli to take second place on the all-time list.
Fastest to 20 ODI Centuries
- Hashim Amla – 108 innings
- Virat Kohli – 133 innings
- AB de Villiers – 175 innings
- Rohit Sharma – 183 innings
A Shot At Breaking Into The Top 10 All-Time
Babar Azam is also eyeing a climb up the overall ODI centuries chart. At the moment, he is tied with Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene on 19 centuries, sitting 17th on the list.
Three centuries in this series, which would be a phenomenal achievement, would see him join David Warner, Sourav Ganguly, and Tillakaratne Dilshan in tenth place.
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