Babar Azam finally ended his long wait for a century and made history for Pakistan cricket. After 807 days and many innings without reaching a hundred, he scored an unbeaten 102 runs against Sri Lanka in the second ODI played in Rawalpindi. His brilliant knock helped Pakistan win the match and secure the three-game series with one match still left to play.
This innings was special not only because it ended his century drought, but also because it placed Babar Azam among the greatest Pakistani batsmen of all time. With this century, Babar reached a total of 20 ODI hundreds, which means he is now tied with the legendary Saeed Anwar for the most ODI centuries scored by a Pakistani player.
What makes this achievement even more impressive is the speed at which Babar reached the milestone. Even though he struggled for form recently, he still managed to get his 20th century in just 108 innings—much faster than Saeed Anwar, who needed far more innings to reach the same number.
Here is where Babar Azam stands among Pakistan’s top ODI century makers:
- Babar Azam: 20 centuries in 136 innings, with an average close to 54
- Saeed Anwar: 20 centuries in 244 innings
- Mohammad Yousuf: 15 centuries
- Fakhar Zaman: 11 centuries
- Mohammad Hafeez: 11 centuries
These numbers show how consistent and talented Babar has been throughout his career. Even when critics questioned his place in the team, he continued to work hard and proved his value once again. This century has silenced many voices who were doubting him.
For Pakistani fans, the century feels like a fresh start rather than the end of a long wait. Babar Azam has already achieved so much at just 31 years of age, and many believe he still has many great years ahead. If he scores another century in the next match, he will hold the record for the most ODI hundreds by a Pakistani player all by himself. That would set a new standard for future generations of cricketers.
Pakistan has produced many legendary players over the years, but Babar Azam’s name continues to rise higher with every performance. His century in Rawalpindi is another moment that will be remembered in Pakistan cricket history, and fans hope it is the beginning of many more achievements to come.
