Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam is on the verge of achieving two major milestones in One-Day International (ODI) cricket as his side prepares to face the West Indies in the first match of the three-game series on Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
The 30-year-old needs just one more century to equal the long-standing record of legendary opener Saeed Anwar for the most ODI hundreds by a Pakistani batter.
Anwar scored 20 centuries in 247 matches and 244 innings. Babar, who has 19 centuries from only 131 matches and 128 innings, could equal the former opener in record time if he reaches three figures in the upcoming matches.
Most ODI centuries by Pakistan batters:
- Saeed Anwar – 20 centuries in 247 matches
- Babar Azam – 19* centuries in 131 matches
- Mohammad Yousuf – 15 centuries in 288 matches
- Fakhar Zaman – 11 centuries in 86 matches
- Mohammad Hafeez – 11 centuries in 218 matches
Babar is also close to becoming the second-fastest player in ODI history to score 20 centuries. Currently, he has 19 hundreds in 128 innings, just behind India’s Virat Kohli, who reached 20 centuries in 133 innings. If Babar achieves the feat in his next four innings, he will overtake Kohli on the list, with only South Africa’s Hashim Amla ahead, who got there in just 108 innings.
Fastest players to 20 ODI centuries:
- Hashim Amla – 108 innings
- Virat Kohli – 133 innings
- David Warner – 142 innings
- Quinton de Kock – 150 innings