Babar Azam runs against all teams: The Pakistani captain played a gem of an innings under testing circumstances today.
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During the second day of the first Test of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka 2022 in Galle, Pakistan captain Babar Azam registered a seventh Test century to bail his team out of trouble under testing circumstances.
Azam, 27, resumed from his overnight score of 1* to score a praiseworthy 119 (244) with the help of 11 fours and two sixes. In what is Azam’s third Test century (most against any opposition) against Sri Lanka, it is his sixth in Asia, fifth at No. 4, second away from home, as captain and in 2022 and first in Sri Lanka.
With Pakistan being reduced to 85/7 at one point in time, a substantial first innings trail was on the cards for the visitors. However, grinding hard from one end, a resolute Azam made it a point to not give up so easily. Primarily known for an amalgamation of technique and patience, the right-handed batter successfully combated a challenge possessed by Sri Lankan spinners.
It is worth mentioning that Azam received strong support from fast bowler Naseem Shah (5*) as the duo hustled together to put together a 185-ball 70-run partnership for the 10th wicket. Nowhere near the highest 10th wicket partnerships in Test cricket, Azam and Shah’s stand was enough for Pakistan to score 218 (only two runs short of Sri Lanka’s first innings total) in 90.5 overs.
Babar Azam runs against all teams (table updates on December 11, 2022)
In addition to a century which will be remembered for a long time, Azam also managed to complete 10,000 runs in international cricket – becoming the fifth-fastest batter to do the same.
| Team | Innings | Runs | Highest | Average | 100 | 50 |
| Afghanistan | 4 | 162 | 66 | 40.5 | 0 | 2 |
| Australia | 36 | 1770 | 196 | 55.31 | 5 | 11 |
| Bangladesh | 14 | 534 | 143 | 44.5 | 1 | 4 |
| England | 44 | 1887 | 158 | 51 | 4 | 13 |
| Hong Kong | 2 | 42 | 33 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| India | 9 | 250 | 68* | 31.25 | 0 | 1 |
| Ireland | 3 | 102 | 59 | 34 | 0 | 1 |
| Namibia | 1 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 0 | 1 |
| Netherlands | 4 | 226 | 91 | 56.5 | 0 | 3 |
| New Zealand | 31 | 1236 | 127* | 47.53 | 2 | 10 |
| Scotland | 1 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 0 | 1 |
| South Africa | 31 | 1282 | 122 | 44.20 | 2 | 8 |
| Sri Lanka | 28 | 1181 | 119 | 49.25 | 6 | 4 |
| West Indies | 36 | 1676 | 125* | 54.06 | 5 | 11 |
| World XI | 3 | 179 | 86 | 59.66 | 0 | 1 |
| Zimbabwe | 16 | 693 | 125 | 57.75 | 2 | 5 |
| Total | 263 | 11357 | 196 | 49.59 | 27 | 76 |
