It hasn't been the best of times for Pakistan cricket and for captain Babar Azam, with the team suffering a humiliating whitewash at home against England, which subsequently led to the removal of Ramiz Raja as PCB chairman and the Muhammad Wasim-led selection panel. Questions were raised on Babar's leadership as well. But he answered back the critics in style, with a stunning century on Day 1 of the first Test against New Zealand in Karachi.
Pakistan incurred a horror start on Monday when they went three down for just 48 runs in 15 overs. Saud Shakeel looked to offer some resistance, but the 62-run stand alongside Babar was quickly broken by New Zealand skipper Tim Southee.
Pakistan were in dire need of a partnership but most importantly, needed their skipper to step in. Not only did Babar find able assistance from former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was making his first Test appearance after almost four years, having last played against South Africa in 2019, Babar valiantly fought against the New Zealand attack to scored his ninth Test century.
With the ton, he shattered former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting's world record of most fifty-plus scores in international cricket in a calendar year. Ponting's 2005 feat of 24 such scores stood for 17 long years before Babar went past the tally to score his 25th fifty-plus score in Karachi. The tally includes 17 fifties and eight tons. Those eight centuries, also put him past West Indies legend Brian Lara, Australia's Steve Smith, Mahela Jayawardene and Graeme Smith in the list of most international tons in a calendar year by a captain. Babar's 2022 feat of eight centuries stands third in the all-time list.
{{/usCountry}}With the ton, he shattered former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting's world record of most fifty-plus scores in international cricket in a calendar year. Ponting's 2005 feat of 24 such scores stood for 17 long years before Babar went past the tally to score his 25th fifty-plus score in Karachi. The tally includes 17 fifties and eight tons. Those eight centuries, also put him past West Indies legend Brian Lara, Australia's Steve Smith, Mahela Jayawardene and Graeme Smith in the list of most international tons in a calendar year by a captain. Babar's 2022 feat of eight centuries stands third in the all-time list.
{{/usCountry}}With the knock, Babar is also the highest Test run getter in 2022. And his overall tally of 2542 runs across the three formats this year is the most by any Pakistan batter, as he went past former cricketer and team's present batting coach Mohammad Yousuf.