Tag: Babar Azam

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to enhance security around the dressing room area at Gaddafi Stadium after a fan managed to breach the players’ zone in an attempt to meet his idol, Babar Azam.

According to sources, the board has approved the installation of an iron fence between the spectator enclosures and the dressing room area to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“The new fencing will ensure fans cannot directly access the players’ zone again,” a PCB source confirmed.

The incident occurred during the first Test between Pakistan and South Africa when a teenage fan climbed over the barrier from the Majid Khan Enclosure and made his way toward the dressing room.

He managed to slip past the stands and approach the players’ area before being spotted by members of the support staff, who immediately alerted security personnel.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The intruder was detained and handed over to the police. Officials said the teenager confessed to entering the restricted area solely to take a selfie with Babar Azam.

A case was later registered against him for trespassing and interfering in official matters.

The incident briefly shifted attention away from Pakistan’s 93-run victory over South Africa, which gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

Despite enduring a lean run with the bat in recent months, Babar Azam remains Pakistan’s most followed and admired cricketer.

His overall career numbers, more than 14,000 international runs across formats, continue to reflect his stature as one of the modern greats, inspiring unwavering loyalty among fans.

READ: Aqib Javed to supervise spin-friendly pitch preparation for Rawalpindi Test

LAHORE: A teenage fan breached security at the Gaddafi Stadium during the first Test between Pakistan and South Africa, climbing through the Majid Khan Enclosure in a desperate attempt to meet his idol, Babar Azam.

In a video that has since gone viral, the young fan can be seen making his way past the stands and approaching the players’ area near the dressing room.

He was spotted by members of Pakistan’s coaching staff, who immediately alerted security officials.

Despite his repeated pleas to meet Babar Azam, the young fan was escorted away by security personnel. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet issued any official statement regarding the matter.

Notably, the incident occurred on October 15, which marks Babar’s 31st birthday.

Born in Lahore in 1994, Babar has been Pakistan’s most consistent batter over the past decade and remains a national icon, especially among young fans.

While Babar is currently enduring a rough patch with the bat, his numbers speak for themselves.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

In 134 ODIs, he has amassed 6,291 runs at an impressive average of 54.23, including 19 centuries and 37 fifties. Meanwhile, in 128 T20Is, he has scored 4,223 runs at an average of 39.83, with three hundreds and 36 half-centuries.

His Test record is equally remarkable, having scored 4,300 runs in 60 matches at 42.57, featuring nine centuries and 29 fifties.

READ: Afghanistan rest ace spinner Rashid Khan for Zimbabwe Test

LAHORE: Pakistan top-order batter Babar Azam achieved a major World Test Championship (WTC) milestone in the ongoing first Test against South Africa here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Coming into this Test, Babar required two runs to become the first Asian batter to score 3,000 runs in the ICC WTC.

The batting maestro reached the landmark with an elegant boundary on the fourth ball of the 48th over. With this, he became Pakistan’s first and overall eighth player to score 3000 runs in the Test championship.

Most runs in ICC World Test Championship

JE Root (ENG) 69 matches 6080 runs

SPD Smith (AUS) 55 matches 4278 runs

M Labuschagne (AUS) 53 matches 4225 runs

BA Stokes (ENG) 57 matches 3616 runs

TM Head (AUS) 52 matches 3300 runs

UT Khawaja (AUS) 43 matches 3288 runs

Z Crawley (ENG) 52 matches 3041 runs

Babar Azam (PAK) 37* matches 3021 runs

However, despite a promising start, he was trapped lbw by Prenelan Subrayen on the score of 23. His 48-ball knock featured five fours.

Overall, Babar Azam has registered 18 half-centuries and eight tons in the 37 WTC matches played so far.

Most runs by Asian batters in ICC World Test Championship

Babar Azam – 3021
Shubman Gill – 2826
Rishabh Pant – 2731
Rohit Sharma – 2716
Dimuth Karunaratne – 2642
Virat Kohli – 2617

Notably, India’s Test captain Shubman Gill trails behind with 2826 runs in 39 matches so far. Gill has scored 10 tons and eight 50s in the cycle, and is averaging at 43.47.

His compatriot Rishab Pant is third in the list with 2731 runs to his name at an average of 43.34 in 38 matches. He scored six centuries and 16 half-centuries.

READ: Namibia stun South Africa to seal historic T20I win

LAHORE: South Africa stand-in skipper Aiden Markram has heaped high praise on Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam, admitting that they will be targeting his key wicket in the series.

South Africa’s stand-in skipper Aiden Markram has lavished praise on Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam, admitting that his will be one of the key wickets they’ll be targeting in the series.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Markram shed light on the team’s preparations and Pakistan’s spin challenge, including Babar’s wicket.

“He needs no introduction. Babar’s wicket will be a big one for us, and one of the bowlers will try to get him and work out,” he remarked.

Markram expressed his excitement about the upcoming spin challenge, stating that despite not being heavily exposed to conditions, they are ready to take on the hosts.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Naturally, we’re looking forward to the challenges Pakistan will pose in terms of spin-friendly tracks, as we assume.”

“As a team not heavily exposed to these conditions, it’s going to be exciting and a great opportunity for us to get things right here. So we’re putting a lot of focus into that, and ultimately we want to string together five good days of cricket in the first Test,” he continued.

The 31-year-old mentioned that the England series against Pakistan last year and admitted that Pakistan will fully capitalize on home advantage.

“We expect the conditions to spin — we saw how things turned in the England series. Pakistan will obviously try to win, which is completely fair, and we look forward to that challenge.

We’ll have another look at the wicket today and hopefully get a clearer picture before finalising everything for tomorrow,” Markram remarked.

World Test Champions South Africa will be without their regular captain, Temba Bavuma, who was ruled out of the tour due to an injury. However, Aiden Markram lamented his absence and aimed to give their best in challenging circumstances.

“Of course, we’ll miss Temba a lot — he’s our leader, and there’s no need to even introduce him,” he said of Bavuma.

Pakistan and South Africa will face off in the first tomorrow at the Gaddafi Stadium, marking the start of both teams’ campaign in the World Test Championship (WTC). 2025-27 cycle.

READ: WATCH: Pakistan, South Africa series trophy unveiled

Australia ace pacer Mitchell Starc is set to join Pakistan star batter Babar Azam at the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

The announcement came via the Sixers’ social media handle, where the team wrote about the Pacer’s return to the side.

“After 11 seasons, Mitch Starc is back in magenta. He’s expected to link up with the squad following the Ashes series,” the caption read.

Starc, who recently announced his retirement from T20I cricket, highlighted his post-Ashes commitments.

“I’ve got no cricket scheduled between the fifth Test and the IPL at this stage,” Starc said

“An opportunity to play some BBL cricket, I’ve obviously been a part of the small part of the Sixers throughout the 15 seasons, so it’s nice to return to potentially a playing role.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Obviously, we’ve got the five Test matches to focus on, first and foremost. But post that, it’s obviously my intention to be available to play some part if called upon,” he remarked.

The left-arm pacer’s last appearance in the tournament came in the 2014-15 BBL edition. Overall, he has represented the side in 10 matches, scalping 20 wickets at an impressive average of 14.85 and an economy rate of 7.92.

Starc’s addition will bolster an already stacked Sixers side, featuring the likes of Babar Azam, Steve Smith, and Josh Hazlewood.

For context, BBL 15 is expected to be one of the most anticipated seasons in the tournament’s history, with various stars from around the globe set to take the stage at the end of this year.

Notably, Pakistani players were among the popular selections in the BBL 15 overseas draft held earlier this year.

Babar Azam was roped in by the Sydney Sixers, whereas Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi were drafted by the Melbourne Renegades and the Brisbane Heat.

Haris Rauf, a regular in the BBL, was retained by Melbourne Stars, the franchise where he has become a fan favourite over the years with his pace and aggression.

The opening match of the BBL 15 will be played between the Sydney Sixers and the Perth Scorchers on December 14 in Perth.

READ: Asian Cup Qualifiers: Otis misses penalty as Pakistan held by Afghanistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday unveiled the squads of all 10 teams for the Quaid-e-Azam 2025-26 Trophy.

Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament is set to begin tomorrow across four cities, with the Sialkot region defending the title. The winner of the 68th edition of the tournament will receive PKR 7.5 million, while the runners-up will grab PKR 4 million.

“The PCB has announced a winner’s prize of PKR 7.5 million, while the runners up will collect PKR 4 million. In a first, player of the match in each league match will also get PKR 25,000,” the board said in statement.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Player of the final will be awarded PKR 100k, while best bowler, batter, wicket-keeper, and player of the tournament will be awarded PKR 250k each,” it added.

Moreover, the player of the final will be awarded PKR 100k, while the best bowler, batter, wicket-keeper, and player of the tournament will be awarded PKR 250k each.

Notably, every team is required to field at least one U21 player in their playing XI as part of the player development program.

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Squads

ABBOTTABAD:

Fakhar Zaman (captain), Khalid Usman (vc), Ahmed Khan, Aqib Khan, Israr Hussain, Khayam Khan (wicket-keeper), Mehrooz Rasheed, Mohammad Adil, Mohammad Bilal, Mohammad Suleman (Guest Player), Muhammad Arif, Shahnawaz Dahani (Guest Player), Shahzaib Khan (U21), Umair Badshah and Yasir Khan (Guest Player)

National Duty: Kamran Ghulam

Reserves: Adil Naz, Aftab Ahmed, Shujah Zaheer (U21), Mansoor Ali, Mohsin Junaid, Muhammad Riaz Ullah, Shahab Khan, and Zain Ishaq,

BAHAWALPUR

Saifullah Bangash (captain, wicket-keeper, Guest Player), Muhammad Imran Randhawa (vc), Ali Hamza Waseem, Gulfam Aziz, Mehran Sanwal, Mohammad Alamgir, Mohammad Ammar (U21), Mohammad Azab, Mohammad Faizan Zafar, Mohammad Junaid, Mohammad Shahriyar, Mubasir khan (Guest Player), Rana Burhan Basharat, Saad Khan (Guest Player) and Salman Hassan

Reserves: Ali Afzal, Ali Shabbir (U21), Khaqan Bashir, Mohammad Akram, Mohammad Sudais, Mohammad Umair, Mohammad Younis, and Zaman Khan (Guest Player)

FAISALABAD

Muhammad Irfan Khan (captain), Faheem Ashraf (vc), Abdul Samad, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Ali Shan (wicket-keeper), Asad Raza, Asim Ali Nasir, Atiq-ur-Rehman, Faham-ul-Haq (U21), Hasan Raza (Guest Player), Mudassar Zunair, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Sameer Saqib, Shehzad Gul, and Taimur Khan

National Duty: Khurram Shahzad

Reserves: Abdullah Zubair, Ali Asfand (U21), Ibtisam ur Rehman (U21), Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Saqib, Raees Ahmed, Shahid Ali, and Umar Ali

FATA

Khushdil Shah (captain), Muhammad Sarwar Afridi (vc), Akif Javed, Haseebullah (Guest Player), Hayatullah, Mohammad Farooq (U21), Mohammad Naeem, Mohammad Usman, Mohammad Waseem Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Rehan Afridi (wicket-keeper), Salman Khan, Sameen Gul, Shahid Aziz and Zahid Mehmood (Guest Player)

National Duty: Asif Afridi and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Reserves: Adnan Khan, Afaq Afridi, Arshadullah, Haroon Sadaqat, Jamshaid Khan, Khyal Maan, Muhammad Tauqeer, Sirajuddin, and Usama Ahmed

ISLAMABAD

Hasan Nawaz (captain), Abdul Faseeh (Guest Player), Faizan Riaz, Hammad Saddique, Haris Rauf, Jawad Ali (Guest Player), Kaleem Dil, Mohammad Hammad Khan, Mohammad Nawaz (Guest Player), Musa Khan, Nusratullah, Raja Hamza Waheed (U21), Sarmad Bhatti, Shamyl Hussain (U21) and Shayan Shaikh

National Duty: Rohail Nazir

Reserves: Farmanullah Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Mohammad Qaiser, Murtaza Jamal, Naseerullah Khan, Rizwan Ali, Salman Khan and Shahid Islam (U21)

KARACHI BLUES

Rameez Aziz (captain), Mir Hamza (vc), Abdullah Fazal, Danish Aziz, Fahad Amin (U21), Haroon Arshad (U21), Mohammad Asghar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Muhammad Umar, Mustaq Ahmad (Guest Player), Omair Bin Yuosuf, Saad Baig (U21, Guest Player, wicket-keeper), Saim Ayub, Saqib Khan and Usman Khan

National Duty: Abrar Ahmed, Saud Shakeel and Shan Masood

Reserves: Arif Yaqoob, Asadullah Hamza, Ashiq Ali, Fawad Alam, Maaz Khurram Amin, Mohammad Hamza Sohail, Mohammad Tariq Khan, Mohammad Usman Rahim and Sarfaraz Ahmed

LAHORE WHITES

Saad Naseem (captain), Abid Ali, Ahmad Bashir, Ali Zaryab Asif, Attyab Ahmed, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, Hussain Talat, Junaid Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohammad Salman, Naseem Shah, Tayyab Tahir, Ubaid Shah (U21) and Umar Siddiq (Guest Player)

National Duty: Aamir Jamal, Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha

Reserves: Asadullah, Ahmed Daniyal Hasan Rizwan, Imran Dogar, Mohammad Ahsan, Mohammad Faiq, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohib Bhatti, Muhammad Akhlaq, Obaid Shahid, Qasim Akram (Guest Player) and Shehbaz Javed, Usama Tariq

MULTAN

Zain Abbas (captain), Sharoon Siraj (vc), Aamer Yamin (subject to fitness), Ahmer Ashfaq, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Bismillah Khan (wicket-keeper, Guest Player), Hasan Hafeez, Imran Butt (Guest Player), Imran Rafiq, Kashif Ali (Guest Player), Mohammad Ismail (U21), Mohammad Shan (U21), Muhammad Shahzad and Waqar Hussain

National Duty: Faisal Akram and Imam-ul-Haq

Reserves: Abdul Rehman Muzammil, Ghulam Haider, Huzaif Ayub, Jamshaid Bhatti, Saim Ayyaz, Tahir Hussain, Uzair Mumtaz and Zeeshan Ashraf

PESHAWAR

Abbas Ali, Adil Amin, Azam Khan, Israrullah, Khalid Shah, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Abuzar, Mohammad Irfan (U21), Muhammad Amir Khan, Mohammad Haris, (wicket-keeper), Nabi Gul, Najab Khan (U21), Niaz Khan, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufyan Moqim (Guest Player) and Waqar Ahmed

National Duty: Mohammad Rizwan and Sajid Khan

Reserves: Afkar Durrani (U21), Fazal Haq, Mohammad Farhan, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Mohsin Khan, Mohammad Zulkifal, Taj Wali and Zubair Khan

SIALKOT

Amad Butt (captain), Aashar Mehmood, Afzaal Manzoor (U21, wicket-keeper), Ahmed Hasan (U21), Ayaz Tasawar, Azan Awais, Mehran Mumtaz (Guest Player), Mohammad Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Husnain Khan, Mohammad Waleed, Mohsin Riaz and Shoaib Akhtar

National Duty: Abdullah Shafique and Hasan Ali

Reserves: Ali Afzal (U21), Ali Raza (U21, subject to fitness), Athar Mehmood, Awais Ali (U21), Hamza Nazar, Khawaja Arham, Mirza Tahir Baig, Shahzaib Bhatti and Usama Mir (to join from second round)

READ: Muneeba Ali’s run out sparks controversy in India-Pakistan World Cup clash

LAHORE: Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam is set to play for Lahore Whites in the country’s premier first-class tournament, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, ahead of the two-match Test series against South Africa.

This will be Babar’s first appearance in the tournament since the 2019 final between Northern and Central Punjab.

At that time, Babar was the captain of Central Punjab and led his team to a title with an innings and 16-run victory.

His inclusion came at a time when Pakistan is set to play two Test matches against South Africa, which will begin on October 12 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Notably, Wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Ali, and Sajid Khan are also set to represent their respective regions in the tournament on the directives of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

Mohammad Rizwan and Sajid Khan will represent Peshawar Region in the 10-team tournament, while Salman Ali Agha and Hasan Ali will play for Sialkot and Lahore Whites, respectively.

The opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy ends on October 9, two days before the Test series begins at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The 10-team tournament will be played across four cities: Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi.

Lahore Whites

Saad Naseem (captain), Abid Ali, Ahmad Bashir, Ali Zaryab Asif, Attyab Ahmed, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, Hussain Talat, Junaid Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohammad Salman, Naseem Shah, Tayyab Tahir, Ubaid Shah (U21) and Umar Siddiq (Guest Player)

National Duty: Aamir Jamal, Babar Azam, and Salman Ali Agha

Quaid Azam Trophy Teams

Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, FATA, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot.

Hanif Mohammad Trophy Qualifying Teams

FATA, Faisalabad, Karachi Blues, Multan

First round fixtures

6-9 October

Abbottabad v Bahawalpur at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium

Lahore Whites v Islamabad at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Peshawar v Sialkot at Imran Khan Stadium, Peshawar

FATA v Multan at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Faisalabad v Karachi Blues at Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

READ: Ahmed Shehzad urges Saim Ayub to learn ‘art of batting’ amid poor form

South Africa speedster Kagiso Rabada heaped high praise on Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam, describing him as a ‘rock’ in the team’s batting lineup.

Appearing on a ‘Beard Before Podcast’, co-hosted by England’s Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, Rabada reflected on his cricketing career and different aspects of the game.

Speaking about the toughest batters to bowl at, Rabada singled out Babar’s resilience and grit.

“Babar Azam is a rock, especially in Pakistan. It’s like, ‘man, how do you get this guy out? ‘” stated Rabada.

The right-arm pacer has dismissed Babar Azam four times in international cricket, with three of those wickets coming in Tests and one in ODIs.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Moreover, despite having success against former Australia opener David Warner, the pacer named him as the toughest batter to bowl at, emphasizing his unique batting ability.

“I actually found David Warner quite tough to bowl to. I think he’s the hardest because he was so unorthodox. He used to cut a lot of balls, and whenever I dropped my length short, he would just latch onto it and cut,” said Rabada.

“He was the only guy who could do that against me. He was very hard. As much as I had a lot of success against him, I thought he was very tough to bowl to,” Rabada remarked.

The 30-year-old also picked the Fab four: India’s Virat Kohli, England’s Joe Root, Australia’s Steve Smith, and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson as the most difficult batters to bowl at.

READ: ‘This will haunt them for years’: Shoaib Malik on India’s refusal to accept trophy

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has urged the selectors to recall senior players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Naseem Shah, stressing that the national T20I side looks incomplete without them.

Speaking in an interview during the ongoing ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, Hafeez said Pakistan’s mixed results in the tournament underline the need for experienced campaigners.

“I would still say today that this team definitely needs three players: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Naseem Shah,” Hafeez remarked.

“First, they should be properly consulted, and things should be explained to them in the right way. Babar definitely has a place in this team, I’ve said it before as well, that without him, this is an incomplete team.”

Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!

Hafeez, who has also served as team director in the past, argued that proven performers cannot be sidelined if Pakistan are to compete with top teams.

“Babar must be in this team, Naseem Shah must also be in this team, and thirdly, since Haris has not yet been able to adjust at the international level, Rizwan should take his place,” he added.

The former all-rounder maintained that while team management is responsible for player utilization, the presence of experienced names provides the balance needed to perform under pressure.

“The way to get performances, the way to utilize players, that is for the management to decide. But if we include these three players in our team, we will have a better chance to perform in any given condition against any opposition,” Hafeez noted.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

This Asia Cup is Pakistan’s first major tournament without Babar and Rizwan, both of whom have been central figures in the T20I setup since the 2021 World Cup in the UAE

They were dropped after the South Africa series in December last year, as selectors looked to prioritize younger talent ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.

Naseem, meanwhile, has been sidelined after a dip in form. The right-arm quick has played 30 T20Is for Pakistan, taking 25 wickets at an economy of 8.01, but has been left out of the current campaign.

READ: Ronaldo calls on Carlo Ancelotti to pick Neymar for World Cup

ABU DHABI: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has joined star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in an elite list during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Farhan struck 24 off 15 deliveries, laced with two sixes and a four, entering the record books as he became only the fourth batter from the country to score 1,500 T20 runs in a calendar year.

He reached the landmark in his 35th innings of the year.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Prior to Farhan, only Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shan Masood had crossed the 1,500-run barrier in a calendar year.

Babar has done it thrice (2019, 2021, 2024), Rizwan achieved it in back-to-back years (2021 and 2022), while Shan managed the feat in 2022.

Farhan’s tally in 2025 has been accumulated through his performances for Pakistan, Peshawar Region, and Islamabad United, underlining his consistency across formats and tournaments.

Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!

The 29-year-old also made headlines earlier on Sunday with a striking celebration after notching up a half-century against India.

He reached the landmark by launching Axar Patel for a six and marked the moment by mimicking his bat “firing runs like bullets,” a gesture that quickly went viral among fans.

READ: Fans in awe of Hasaranga, Abrar after ‘spirit of cricket’ moment