Babar Azam, Pakistan’s captain, has become recognized as one of the top batters around the world today. In Lahore, Babar started out as a ball boy at Gaddafi Stadium and then went on to captain his national team in all forms of the game.
Being known for his lovely hitting, cool behavior and how steady he is, Babar Azam earned his first place on the national team in 2015. He earned his way up in international cricket and did especially well in ODIs and T20s. Many believe his strong cover drives and role in holding innings match those of famous batsmen, Virat Kohli and Joe Root.
Because of his calm hand and ability to play under stress, Babar often serves as a secure player at the crease. He is the first Pakistani player to strike a century in all formats and has set several records, including becoming the quickest batsman for his country in T20Is and among the fastest in ODIs. He has regularly found himself in the top positions on the ICC rankings for batsmen in the last several years.
As the captain, Babar has helped give Pakistan’s cricket a secure and definite direction. Mohammad is calm but firm and people respect him for leading by his own actions. Captain Rizwan led Pakistan to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in 2021 and to the final in 2022.
Off the sports field, Babar is famous for being humble and devoted to his work. He is one of a new group of Pakistani cricketers who work hard, keep a focus and wish to shine internationally. Babar Azam plays a leading role as Pakistan’s top-order batsman and has made centuries in all three formats, is fastest to ODI milestones, and is the successful leader of this national team.
Babar Azam goes beyond being a batsman; he represents Pakistan’s cricketing aspirations and inspires new cricketers everywhere. Born on October 15, 1994, in Lahore, Pakistan, Babar Azam has become one of the world’s top cricketers. He began his never-ending journey in the streets of Lahore, where he prepared himself from the day in local clubs and in age-group cricket. He has already made his mark by representing Pakistan in the Under-19 World Cups of 2010 and 2012.
Babar made his ODI debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe and cemented himself as the linchpin in Pakistan’s batting lineup shortly after. His grace in stroke play and consistent performance have drawn comparisons with legends of the game, Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson.
As of December 2024, Babar has gathered over 5,000 runs in ODIs, with an average greater than 50 and 19 hundreds. He has accumulated over 3,500 runs in Test cricket with 10 hundreds. And in T20 International cricket, he has over 3,000 runs with three hundred to his name.
Besides his batting prowess, Babar, who possesses fine leadership, was made captain of Pakistan in all formats in 2019. Under his captaincy, Pakistan made a semifinal entry in the T20 World Cup in 2021, signifying his tactical mind and ability to inspire his team. Babar Azam’s commitment, technical prowess, and composure have firmly established him as the modern-day cricketing icon and provide the cornerstone for many careers in Pakistan.
Life and Background of Babar Azam
Babar Azam rose from the Walled City of Lahore to iconic cricketer status because he was dedicated and because there was support all around him. Babar’s birthday was October 15, 1994, and he grew up in a family that loved cricket. Because Kamran, Umar, and Adnan Akmal were already involved in cricket, Babar Azam was close to the world of professional cricket from an early age.
It was clear from an early age that Babar had a deep passion for cricket because Lahore is such a cricketing city. At the Gaddafi Stadium, where he was a ball boy, he closely followed international players and matches. As a result of this, he decided to work toward a long career in cricket. Impressing his parents, he only needed his father Azam Siddique’s support which made sure he was given the highest quality training and materials.
Babar built the skills that later helped him become a star player thanks to Rana Sadiq, the first person to coach him. All his hard work and dedication brought him to compete for Pakistan on youth teams, paving the way for him to represent the country in other global events. This book explains how Babar’s success was shaped by the support of his family, his environment, and his determined heart.
Early Career and Rise to Fame of Babar Azam
Babar Azam went from living in a busy Lahore to reaching the top of international cricket, which proves how committed he is and what talent he has. Growing up in a city with a strong cricketing background, the sport came easily to Babar, as he was born on October 15, 1994. Spending time with his cousins, the Akmal brothers, who play for Pakistan, really encouraged him to want to play cricket.
Showing great enthusiasm for the sport, Babar would spend plenty of time training at local clubs and taking part in tournaments for young players. He showed outstanding performance in the 2010 and 2012 Under-19 World Cups, hitting the most runs for Pakistan, showing how talented he was. Their results helped him fit seamlessly into the domestic game, where he kept scoring heavily.
Babar made a name for himself in the cricket world through strong technique, firm resolve, discipline, and constant drive to improve. MS Dhoni is admired by new cricketers for his determination and the good results of his efforts.
Domestic and Franchise Cricket of Babar Azam
During his early years on domestic soil, he caught the eye of the selectors with some outstanding performances, and by then, he was already leading teams like Central Punjab in Pakistan’s domestic. He capped off the year 2019-20 by taking his side to the title in the National T20 Cup, and that was one of his biggest steps in domestic cricket thus far. His consistency in domestic cricket has drawn the attention of T20 leagues worldwide, offering competition in many places.
Azam returned to England in 2019 and played with Somerset in the T20 Blast, where he ended as the leading run-scorer of the tournament with 578 runs in 13 matches, including four half-centuries and one century, at an average of 52.54 runs per innings. His tenancy with Somerset showcased his brilliance in different playing conditions and made him a global T20 phenomenon.
Test Cricket
Babar Azam made his Test debut in October 2016. His first Test century came two years later against New Zealand in Dubai, where he scored an unbeaten 127. His highest Test score of 196 was recorded against Australia in March 2022, marking the highest-ever score by a captain in the fourth innings of a Test match and the second-longest innings by a batter in the fourth innings. As of February 2024, Azam has accumulated nine Test centuries, reflecting his significant contribution to Pakistan’s Test cricket endeavours.
One Day Internationals (ODIs)
Azam’s ODI debut came in May 2015, and he quickly established himself as a linchpin in Pakistan’s batting order. He made his ODI debut in 2015 against the West Indies with a score of 120 runs, giving him his maiden century in ODIs. Remarkably, he followed this with scores of 123 and 117 in the subsequent matches, becoming the third-ever Pakistani batsman and eighth overall to score three back-to-back ODI hundreds.
In 2022, he repeated this feat to become the first and only batter to score three consecutive ODI centuries for the second time. He scored his highest ODI score of 158 against England in July 2021. As of February 2024, Azam has racked up 19 ODI centuries, which speaks of his dominance in the format.
Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is)
Tremendously astonishing with runs for Pakistan in the shortest format, Azam hammered his maiden T20I century against South Africa in April 2021 with a gargantuan score of 122 runs off 59 balls, the highest score by a Pakistani in T20Is. He had, by February 2024, recorded three T20I centuries. Reaching the landmark with his 100th T20I in April 2023, during the series against New Zealand, he became the third Pakistani to achieve this status.
Leadership and Captaincy
Babar Azam’s leadership journey has been full of milestones and challenges. He was appointed as the captain of the Pakistan ODI and T20I teams in May 2020, and it is indeed a measure of trust placed in him by cricketing authorities in the country. Later (in November), he was made Test captain, becoming Pakistan’s all-format captain. Under his captaincy, Pakistan has enjoyed some victories, including the historic series win against South Africa in 2021.
He resigned from captaincy in all formats in November 2023, following Pakistan’s 2023 Cricket World Cup performance. White-ball cricket captaincy was conferred upon him again in March 2024, only to be given up in October of the same year due to workload management and wanting to concentrate on batting.
Records and Achievements
Babar Azam has achieved numerous records and accolades in his career:
- Fastest to Several ODI Milestones: He is the fastest in history to achieve 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, and 5,000 ODI runs, making it in 97 innings to 5,000 runs.
- Consistent ODI Centurion: He is the fastest to reach 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 ODI centuries.
- T20I Capabilities: He became the fastest captain to score 1,000 T20I runs and is credited with the highest T20I score by a Pakistani batter.
- ICC Recognitions: Azam has been a multiple-time member of the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year, having captained the ODI and T20I Teams of the Year in 2021.
- National Honors: At 28, he received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the third-highest civilian award in Pakistan, making him the youngest cricketer honoured with this distinction.
Family and Personal Life
Babar Azam was born into a Punjabi Muslim family in Lahore, Pakistan. He was always influenced by his father, Azam Siddique, who played an important role in his life regarding his cricketing dreams. He has two brothers, Safeer and Faisal, and a sister, Fariya. His cousins Kamran, Umar, and Adnan Akmal have played international cricket for Pakistan, making this further proof of a cricketing lineage that Babar belongs to.
Babar has been unmarried as of March 2025. There are consistent rumours about his private life, but he has mostly refrained from talking about his girlfriend.
Physical Attributes
Babar Azam stands 5 feet 11 inches (180cm) tall, and he brings a strong stature when playing on the field. Alongside a sound, athletic form, height makes him even more nimble, which most top-order batsmen should possess.
Career Statistics
Test Cricket
- Matches: 59
- Innings: 108
- Runs: 4,235
- Highest Score: 196
- Average: 42.77
- Centuries: 9
- Half-Centuries: 29
One Day Internationals (ODIs)
- Matches: 128
- Innings: 126
- Runs: 6,106
- Highest Score: 158
- Average: 56.00
- Centuries: 19
- Half-Centuries: 27
Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is)
- Matches: 100
- Innings: 92
- Runs: 3,235
- Highest Score: 122
- Average: 39.83
- Centuries: 3
- Half-Centuries: 29
The way Babar Azam went from playing cricket on Lahore’s lively streets to the top of world cricket illustrates dedication, skill, and determination. From the moment he played with Zimbabwe in 2015, much was expected of Babar thanks to his great half-century; since then, he has performed well and repeatedly broken several records.
He finished his 5,000th ODI run in only 97 innings, a record, and he became the first Pakistani to get hundreds in Test, ODI, and T20I matches. His impressive cover drives have captured the world and made many fans. His leadership as captain helped Pakistan reach the semi-finals in 2021 and the final in 2022.
Although he’s not skippering teams anymore to concentrate on his batting, Babar’s dedication doesn’t change. His reputation is guaranteed by receiving the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2021 and 2022. People in cricket eagerly hope to see how high Gabe will climb as his career progresses.
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