Tag: Babar Azam

Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam etched his name in the history books on Sunday by becoming the first-ever player to feature in 100 Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches.

The landmark appearance came during Zalmi’s rain-affected clash against Lahore Qalandars on Saturday night at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

However, the milestone was overshadowed by a forgettable defeat that also brought Zalmi’s PSL 10 campaign to a premature end.

Babar’s PSL journey began in 2016 with Islamabad United, where he was part of the title-winning squad in the league’s inaugural edition.

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He later became the batting mainstay for Karachi Kings, where he spent five seasons and lifted the trophy in 2020.

In 2023, Babar was traded to Peshawar Zalmi in one of the most high-profile swaps in PSL history, taking over leadership duties as well.

Across his 100 PSL appearances, Babar has accumulated 3,792 runs, comfortably sitting at the top of the all-time run-scorers list.

He boasts an impressive average of 44.95, with two centuries and 36 half-centuries, a testament to his consistency and class in the T20 format.

Most Matches in PSL History:

• Babar Azam (IU/KK/PZ) – 100 matches
• Imad Wasim (KK/IU) – 98 matches
• Fakhar Zaman (LQ) – 94 matches
• Mohammad Rizwan (KK/LQ/MS) – 93 matches
• Rilee Rossouw (MS/QG) – 93 matches

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Unfortunately for the star batter, his landmark match didn’t go as planned.

Batting under pressure in a revised 13-over chase of 150, Babar showed early intent with three boundaries but was dismissed for 16 off 13 by Sikandar Raza.

His wicket triggered a collapse, reducing Zalmi to 42/4, and despite some late resistance, they eventually fell short, ending at 123/8.

With this loss, Peshawar Zalmi were knocked out of PSL 10, marking the first time in the tournament’s history that the franchise failed to qualify for the playoffs.

READ: India set to withdraw from Asia Cup 2025: reports

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has thrown his weight behind two of Peshawar Zalmi’s emerging talents, Abdul Samad and Ali Raza, as potential future prospects for the national side.

Speaking on the Zalmi TV podcast, Babar was asked to name young players he believes are capable of graduating to the international stage.

Without hesitation, the Peshawar Zalmi captain highlighted Samad and Raza, calling them “our young blood.”

“Abdul Samad is still new and has a lot of room to grow,” Babar said, adding that the batter needs to fine-tune his game to meet the demands of international cricket. “You have to be ready for that level.”

Babar Azam reserved high praise for teenage pacer Ali Raza, calling him a “special talent” who has what it takes to shine for Pakistan in the near future.

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“He [Ali Raza] is a special talent and capable of playing at the international level,” he added.

“But he needs time, and with gradual development, he will be ready for international cricket.”

Samad, 27, made his T20I debut against New Zealand in the five-match series held in April.

While he showed glimpses of promise, he struggled for consistency, scoring 66 runs in five matches with a top score of 44. His series strike rate of 113.79 and average of 16.50 highlight the adjustment phase he’s currently going through.

Meanwhile, in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, Samad has scored 44 runs at a strike rate of 200 in four matches for Peshawar Zalmi.

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On the other hand, 17-year-old Ali Raza has emerged as one of the breakout performers of PSL 10.

The young right-arm quick has claimed nine wickets in seven matches, maintaining a healthy average of 24.11 and an economy rate of 8.03, showcasing both wicket-taking ability and control.

Meanwhile, Zalmi are set to resume their PSL 10 campaign later today with a high-voltage clash against Karachi Kings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The league had been briefly suspended last week amid rising cross-border tensions with India, but normal service has now resumed.

READ: PSL 10 set to resume with musical tribute to armed forces

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam has revealed his dream T20I World XI, featuring cricketers from Pakistan, South Africa, England, India, Australia, and Afghanistan.

Babar has surprisingly ignored the third-highest run-getter of the shortest format, Virat Kohli, in his World XI.

Virat Kohli has amassed 4188 runs in 125 T20I internationals at an average of 48.69 with the help of 38 half-centuries and one century.

Making an appearance on the Off Topic Zalmi Podcast, Babar was asked to name a T20I XI, with the restriction that no more than two players could be selected from a single country.

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Babar Azam picked destructive Indian batter Rohit Sharma and Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan as his openers in the XI.

Rohit Sharma is the leading T20I run-scorer with 4231 runs in 159 matches with the help of five hundreds and 32 half-centuries.

At no 03, he picked the dynamic left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman. Babar has opted for India’s Mr Dependable in T20I cricket, Suryakumar Yadav, for the No. 4 position.

For the No. 5 spot, Babar Azam went with England’s hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, followed by the South African duo of David Miller and Marco Jansen, both capable of hitting the long ball in the last phase of the innings.

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At No. 8 came Afghanistan’s spin wizard Rashid Khan, who is known for his magical spin bowling.

Babar Azam opted for a heavy pace attack featuring the likes of Australia’s Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, along with England speedster Mark Wood.

Babar Azam’s T20I World XI:

Rohit Sharma (India), Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan), Suryakumar Yadav (India), Jos Buttler (England), David Miller (South Africa), Marco Jansen (South Africa) Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Pat Cummins (Australia), Mitchell Starc (Australia), and Mark Wood (England).

READ: Mike Hesson wants ‘match winners’ Babar-Rizwan back in Pakistan T20I team: reports

Pakistan’s newly appointed head coach, Mike Hesson, is reportedly pushing for the return of star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan into the national T20I team.

Reports suggest that the head coach considers both batters key to the team’s preparations for the 2025 ACC Asia Cup and the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.

Both senior players were previously dropped for the T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year, a move by the selection committee aimed at giving younger players international exposure.

Rizwan, after leading the side in just two series, was also relieved of T20I captaincy duties, with Salman Ali Agha stepping in as the new skipper.

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However, Hesson appears keen on bringing back experience into the dressing room, albeit with a fresh approach.

Reliable sources confirm that the former New Zealand coach recently held a strategic meeting with selector Aqib Javed at the PCB headquarters, where player roles and team composition were thoroughly discussed.

Insiders close to the development reveal that Hesson still views Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan as “match-winners” but wants the duo to evolve their game, particularly by improving their strike rates and adopting a more aggressive mindset in the shortest format.

While the upcoming five-match T20I series against Bangladesh, scheduled in Faisalabad and Lahore later this month, may still be used to test new faces, the long-term blueprint seems to include a blend of youth and proven performers.

READ: Six Overseas Stars Confirm Availability for Karachi Kings in PSL 10

Pakistan top-order batter Babar Azam came out in strong support of his teammate Mohammad Rizwan, criticizing the way people have reacted to his ‘win or learn’ remark.

Pakistan’s wicket-keeper and ODI captain, Mohammad Rizwan, popularised the phrase “Win or Learn” to promote a positive outlook after defeat.

However, it has been turned into a meme by social media trolls, who mock his English-speaking skills.

While speaking on Peshawar Zalmi YouTube channel, Babar shed light on meme culture and Rizwan’s comment. He pointed out that Rizwan’s comment was made from a different perspective and didn’t deserve to be blown out of proportion.

“Who created this? This was created by our own. It’s always our own who are busy pulling each other down,” he said.

“If he [Rizwan] said something and he said it from a different perspective — you can interpret and present it however you want,” Babar added.

Babar Azam stressed mental health, mentioning the need to look after players these days. He lamented the lack of awareness and support for mental health in Pakistan, especially in sports.

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“In Pakistan, there is no concept of mental health, nor is there any work being done on it, while foreign players give mental health a lot of importance,” he observed.

“Here, if someone is falling, we just keep pushing them down — and make memes out of them,” he said.

Despite the criticism, Babar praised Rizwan’s mental strength and faith, citing his remarks.

“It [win or learn] statement didn’t affect him in the slightest. He is the kind of person who doesn’t care what people say and doesn’t pay attention to it.”

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“He is very strong — stronger than all of us, and his faith is unshakable.” “Memes have zero effect on Rizwan.  He says people have the right to express their opinions, and he’s not bothered by it,” Babar Said of Rizwan.

Babar also noted the fickle nature of public opinion, citing Rizwan’s captaincy.

“A lot of people used to say, ‘If Rizwan becomes captain, this and that will happen.’ Now they’re saying, ‘Remove him.’ No one understands this better than I do.”

“Whatever you feed into people’s minds, that’s exactly what they will follow,” he concluded.

READ: Babar Azam vows strong comeback amid batting struggles

Pakistan’s ace batter Babar Azam opened up about his batting struggles, aiming to make a strong comeback.

While speaking on Peshawar Zalmi’s YouTube channel, Babar acknowledged that every player goes through challenging phases in their career and emphasised the importance of focusing on regaining his form.

He also admitted that he has gone through difficult times before, but this time the bad patch has lasted a bit longer.

“Every player experiences such times, and this time it’s a bit longer. My effort is to get my form back,” he said.

Babar Azam also highlighted the importance of keeping things simple, highlighting a relaxed mindset.

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“In these times, you have to keep things simple around you and you have to believe in yourself, because in these scenarios there are a lot of things that surround you.

During this time, the more you keep yourself normal and simple, the easier things get because you confuse yourself if you do overdo things,” Babar explained.

The right-handed batter expressed gratitude for the strong support from fans, while also recognising the pressure that comes with it.

“Fans provide a lot of support, and with that comes pressure. My aim is always to perform well,” he said.

”I firmly believe that I will live up to fans’ expectations,” he concluded.

Babar, who is currently leading Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, has struggled to score runs recently.

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He has managed to score 178 runs in eight innings, at an average of 29.66, with the help of two half-centuries in PSL 10.

For context, Babar Azam has not scored a century in international cricket since the 2023 Asia Cup opening match against Nepal.

It is pertinent to mention that the tournament, which was briefly suspended last week due to rising cross-border tensions with India, is all set to resume on May 17 with Karachi Kings facing Peshawar Zalmi at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Peshawar Zalmi are in a precarious position as they have won four out of eight games played, and they have to win both of their remaining fixtures to ensure qualification for the tournament’s Playoffs.

READ: Quetta Gladiators rope in overseas trio ahead of PSL 10 resumption

Quetta Gladiators’ young batter Hasan Nawaz has joined Babar Azam in a unique club during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 clash against Islamabad United on Wednesday.

The emerging batter delivered a scintillating performance, becoming only the second Pakistani player after Babar to score centuries in both the PSL and T20 Internationals (T20Is) in the same calendar year.

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Nawaz blasted his maiden PSL ton, an unbeaten 100 off just 45 balls, laced with four boundaries and nine towering sixes.

His fireworks powered Quetta Gladiators to a record-breaking 263/3 in 20 overs, the highest-ever total in PSL history.

Earlier this year, Hasan Nawaz had announced his arrival on the international stage with an unbeaten 105 off 45 balls against New Zealand, an innings decorated with 10 fours and seven sixes that sealed a win for Pakistan.

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Both of Hasan’s hundreds, domestic and international, came in winning causes, further underlining his credentials as a game-changer.

With this feat, he joins former skipper Babar Azam, who achieved the same milestone in 2023.

Babar had hammered 115 off 65 balls for Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta in the PSL, and later followed it up with a classy 101 off 58 deliveries in a T20I against New Zealand.

READ: Usman Tariq cleared of suspect bowling action

DUBAI: Former captain Babar Azam has fallen out of the top 20 as Pakistan cricketers have experienced a significant decline in the latest ICC Test rankings, highlighting their ongoing challenges in red-ball cricket.

England’s Joe Root continues to reign supreme at the top of the ICC Test batting rankings, with teammate Harry Brook at No.2 and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson occupying third.

For Pakistan, their top batter is vice-captain Saud Shakeel, who is in the 10th spot, tied with Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, both having 739 rating points.

Meanwhile, Babar Azam, who was once a mainstay in the top 10, has now slipped out of the top 20 in the latest ICC Test batting rankings for the first time in recent years. He currently occupies the 21st spot with 651 rating points.

The 29-year-old managed 193 runs across four innings during the away series against South Africa, a tally that included three half-centuries.

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However, his underwhelming returns at home against the West Indies, where he could only muster 45 runs in four innings, dragged him down the ladder.

On the other hand, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan held firm at 14th with 671 points, showing no movement. Salman Ali Agha continues to linger at 32nd, with no major jump or drop.

Among others, Test captain Shan Masood gained a solitary spot to move to 46th with 542 points, while Abdullah Shafique crept up to 53rd with 520 points, small improvements, but not enough to signal a resurgence.

The bowling rankings also brought more bad news for Pakistan. Sajid Khan dropped to 22nd, and Shaheen Shah Afridi slipped to 23rd.

Noman Ali, however, continues to be Pakistan’s highest-ranked Test bowler, sitting at 6th, while Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah remain at 29th and 39th, respectively.

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India’s Jasprit Bumrah leads the ICC Test bowling charts, with South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada close behind.

In the all-rounders’ category, there’s more cause for concern as no Pakistani player features in the top 20. India’s Ravindra Jadeja retains his spot at the summit.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz emerged as the biggest gainer across categories. The 27-year-old’s stunning all-round show in the recent Test series against Zimbabwe has catapulted him to second place among all-rounders, his career-best position.

Miraz piled on 116 runs and bagged 15 wickets across two Tests. His standout performance came in the Chattogram decider, where he smashed a century at No.7 and followed it up with a five-wicket haul to seal the win.

As a result, he also leapt eight spots to 55th in the batting rankings and reached 327 rating points in the all-rounders’ list — just 73 behind Jadeja.

READ: BCB adopts wait-and-watch approach on Pakistan T20I series amid regional tensions

MULTAN: Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam praised Saim Ayub for his composed knock against Multan Sultans in the 25th match of the Pakistan Super League PSL (10) here on Monday.

Peshawar Zalmi chased down the modest total of 109 in 13 overs, losing just three wickets in the process.

Saim Ayub returned to form, scoring 49 off 33 balls, striking four fours and three sixes.

During the post-match presentation, Babar Azam lauded Saim Ayub for his much-awaited knock.

“I want to particularly mention Saim Ayub’s knock. We were all eagerly waiting for him to come good, and thankfully, he scored a few runs tonight,” he said.

Babar Azam deemed Saim crucial for Peshawar Zalmi, calling him a game-changer.

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“As we know, his form is crucial for Peshawar Zalmi. He has the ability to turn the game around when he’s in good form. He’s a game-changer, and tonight showed that he’s coming back into form,” he added.

Babar Azam mentioned that the break seemed to benefit him. He noted that as a young player, it’s important for Saim Ayub to learn to push through difficult times.

“I think the break really helped him. He’s a young player, and we want him to fight through the tough patches.”

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Babar Azam praised bowlers for making early inroads while highlighting the continuous bowling change.

“I think we weren’t expecting the pitch to behave the way it did, but credit should go to our bowlers. When a team takes early wickets, the opposition feels the pressure, and we managed to keep adding more pressure with each bowling change, ” he explained.

He emphasized execution while revealing the team’s plan against Multan Sultans’ batting unit.

“The balls bowled on a good length came on to the bat in a two-paced manner. Our plan was simple: hit the pitch hard and bowl according to the field, and that’s why we could restrict them to such a low total,” Babar said.

READ: ‘We failed to execute our plans’: Mohammad Rizwan on loss to Peshawar Zalmi

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi Team Director Inzamam-ul-Haq revealed that skipper Babar Azam himself chose to bat at the one-down position.

Opting to bat first,  Islamabad United posted 143 for the loss of nine wickets in their allocated 20 overs.

Peshawar Zalmi successfully chased a target of 144 runs, completing the match in just 16.4 overs with six wickets remaining and 20 balls to spare here at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

While speaking in the post-match press conference, Inzamam backed young talent Maaz Sadaqat and reaffirming support for skipper Babar Azam’s batting position.

“Firstly, Babar is a World Cup-class player, and we did not change his batting order.”

“He is our captain, so he himself realised that he should play one-down and send Mitchell Owen as an opener due to power hitting.”

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He also emphasised Babar Azam’s strike rate, stating that if he improves, it will benefit Pakistan.

“Improving his strike rate will benefit both Pakistan and Peshawar Zalmi,” he said.

He acknowledged Zalmi’s slow start to the tournament, lamenting defeats in the opening matches.

“Had we played the initial matches better, we wouldn’t be in this position,” he said.

Inzamam was full of praise for youngster Maaz Sadaqat, who impressed with the bat.

“Maaz played a brilliant innings today. His temperament stood out — that’s a key quality in T20 cricket,” he observed.

“Things can get delayed at times, but Maaz got his opportunity at the right moment — and he made the most of it,” Inzamam added.

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Commenting on the nature of T20S, he said, “It’s a fast format. You have to take chances — that’s how this game works.”

Regarding Pacer Ihsanullah’s inclusion, Inzamam-ul-Haq said that he will get his chances in the upcoming matches.

“He was in discussion for today’s match. Hopefully, he’ll get his chance in the coming games,” he concluded.

READ: PSL 10: Babar, Maaz star as Peshawar Zalmi thump Islamabad United