Babar Azam roared with the bat with a towering knock of 151 in the Asia Cup 2023's opener against Nepal in Multan on Wednesday, August 30. Riding on his superlative knock Babar stormed in history books and busted multiple records to help Pakistan post a colossal total of 342. First he became the fastest batter to clock 19 ODI centuries as he took just 102 innings to step on this big milestone. In the process he left behind Hashim Amla, Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers.
Batters to take least innings to notch 19 ODI Tons
BABAR AZAM - 102 Innings
Hashim Amla - 104 Innings
Virat Kohli - 124 Innings
David Warner - 139 Innings
AB de Villiers - 171 Innings
Babar also became the first ever captain to score 150-plus runs in Asia Cup. Notably, Virat Kohli held the previous record of notching the highest individual score of 136.
The prolific batter also busted Pakistan's all-time record of scoring highest runs in Asia Cup as he leapfrogged Younis Khan who notched 144 against Hong Kong in 2004. He also equalled Mohammad Yousuf's record of cracking most ODI tons for Pakistan at home.
Most ODI centuries for Pakistan at home
Babar Azam - 7
Mohammad Yousuf - 7
Ijaz Ahmed - 5
Zaheer Abbas - 5
Babar in his 131-ball knock smoked four sixes and 14 boundaries with a strike rate of 115.27.
Besides hammering his maiden Asia Cup century, Babar also became just the third Pakistani batter to crack ton in Pakistan in Asia Cup after Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan.
Pakistani batter to hit century in Pakistan in Asia Cup
Shoaib Malik 125 vs India in 2008
Younis Khan 123 vs India in 2008
Babar Azam 100* vs Nepal 2023
After losing Fakhar Zaman, Imam Ul Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha. Babar took up the charge and steadied Pakistan's boat.
Babar found a perfect ally in Iftikhar Ahmed as the duo displayed extraordinary batting prowess, hammering opposition bowlers across the field. With a spectacular score of 342/6 in 50 overs, Pakistan set a formidable target after opting to bat first against Nepal. After witnessing Babar's century from the other end, Iftikhar too took Nepali bowlers to cleaner and brought up his maiden ODI hundred, scoring an unbeaten 109 off just 71 balls.
The pair's partnership was a sight to behold, as they added over 200 runs to the scoreboard, defying the Nepal bowlers at every turn. This remarkable feat came after Pakistan's opening batsmen, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, were sent back to the pavilion early on, failing to establish a solid foundation for the team. The match showcased the depth and talent in Pakistan's batting lineup and sets a promising tone for the rest of the Asia Cup tournament.
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