Babar Azam: Pakistan's Batting Star, World No.1 in All Three Formats, ODI and T20 Captain
Babar Azam is Pakistan's most celebrated modern batsman and one of the finest batters of his generation globally. Born in Lahore in 1994, he became the first batsman in history to be ranked number one in all three international formats simultaneously — Tests, ODIs, and T20Is — in August 2022. He scored 10,000+ ODI runs with 21 centuries and 3,000+ T20I runs with 4 centuries in 98 T20Is. In Tests, he scored 4,000+ runs at 45+ average. He captained Pakistan across formats. Known for his elegant driving through the covers and precise timing. He was part of the Pakistan team that won the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy on home soil.
Babar Azam was born on 15 October 1994 in Lahore, Pakistan. He made his T20I debut in 2016, his ODI debut in 2015, and his Test debut in 2016. He established himself as Pakistan's most consistent run-scorer across formats within a few seasons of his debut. His batting was defined by exceptional timing — particularly the cover drive, which many analysts consider among the most technically pure in contemporary international cricket — and the ability to build large innings against quality bowling attacks. He became the first player to score 1,000 ODI runs and 1,000 T20I runs in two separate calendar years.
World No.1 in All Three Formats
In August 2022, Babar Azam became the first batsman in history to be ranked number one by the ICC in all three international formats simultaneously — Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. The milestone reflected a period in which he was among the most consistent run-scorers in world cricket across all formats at the same time. He had previously held the ODI number one ranking for over two years (2020-2022). In T20Is, he scored 3,000+ runs in his first 98 matches — the fastest to the milestone. He was compared frequently to Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Kane Williamson as the defining batsmen of his era.
Pakistan Captaincy and 2025 Champions Trophy
Babar Azam was appointed Pakistan ODI and T20I captain in October 2019 and Test captain in May 2020. He resigned from the captaincy in October 2023 following a first-round exit from the 2023 Cricket World Cup, but was reappointed T20I captain in November 2023 and ODI and Test captain in December 2023. He led Pakistan to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy title — held in Pakistan (Lahore and Karachi) — where Pakistan beat India in the final at Lahore on 9 March 2025. It was Pakistan's third Champions Trophy title and the first major ICC event hosted in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup.
Frequently asked questions
What is Babar Azam's most famous batting record?
Babar Azam became the first batsman in history to be ranked number one by the ICC in all three international formats simultaneously — Tests, ODIs, and T20Is — in August 2022. He also holds the record for the fastest 1,000 T20I runs and was one of the few batsmen to score over 1,000 ODI runs in multiple consecutive calendar years. He is considered one of the leading batsmen of his generation alongside Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Kane Williamson.
Did Babar Azam win any ICC tournaments?
Babar Azam captained Pakistan to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title, which was held in Pakistan (Lahore and Karachi). Pakistan beat India in the final at Lahore on 9 March 2025 — Pakistan's third Champions Trophy title and the first major ICC event hosted in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup. Before that, Pakistan reached the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-finals under his captaincy, losing to eventual champions England.