These days, Babar Azam and records go hand in hand. The Pakistan captain is toppling a record in almost every appearance of late, and on Friday, Babar reached another massive feat in men's international cricket history. The right-handed batter scored 77 off 93 balls in the second ODI of the series against West Indies, and with yet another fifty-plus score to his name, he entered the record books for a massive batting record.
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This was Babar's ninth-consecutive fifty-plus score in men's international cricket, which is now the longest streak for any batter. Babar's streak began with a 196 during the second Test of the series against Australia, following it up with a 66 and 55 in the third and the final Test.
In the three-match ODI series against Australia, Babar scored two centuries, registering scores of 57, 114, and 105* in the three games. In the only T20I against Aaron Finch's side, Babar scored 66. The Pakistan captain, then, returned to international action in the ongoing ODI series against West Indies, slamming a century (103) in the first match.
Incidentally, Babar had also gone past former India captain Virat Kohli in the previous game, when he reached the 1000-run mark as the skipper of Pakistan in only 13 games. With this, he became the fastest captain to reach the figure in the fifty-over format.
{{/usCountry}}Incidentally, Babar had also gone past former India captain Virat Kohli in the previous game, when he reached the 1000-run mark as the skipper of Pakistan in only 13 games. With this, he became the fastest captain to reach the figure in the fifty-over format.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier in the second ODI, Pakistan put a total of 275/8 in 50 overs, thanks to contributions from Babar and Imam-ul-Haq (72), as well as the lower-middle order. Their bowlers, led by Mohammad Nawaz's four-wicket haul, reduced West Indies to merely 155 in the run-chase, as Pakistan took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The third and final ODI of the series takes place in Multan on June 12.