KARACHI – Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam on Monday created history for the most runs in a calendar year by a Pakistani batter across formats.
Black Caps gave a tough time to Pakistani squad in the first Test; however Pakistani flamboyant batter Babar Azam slammed a half-ton before the lunch.
Skipper aggregated 2,442 runs, outclassing Mohammad Yousuf’s record of 2435 runs in 2006. He also smashed other records with 735 runs in T20Is and 679 in ODI cricket this year.
The star player also equalled Sri Lankan cricket great Sangakkara’s record of most 50-plus scores, 25, in a calendar year. The 26-year-old has scored seven centuries and 18 half-tons in international cricket this year.
Lately, Babar moved past Steven Smith and only behind Marnus Labuschagne in the rankings for Test batters.
Earlier today, Babar Azam won the toss and opted to bat against New Zealand in the first Test in Karachi. Shaheens come up with three changes from the last Test and seasoned player Sarfaraz Ahmed is included in Test series while pacer Mir Hamza returns for the first time in four years.
Babar Azam becomes first Pakistani batter to smash most fifty plus score in a year
