Babar Azam, who had scored his 11th ODI ton in the second ODI versus Sri Lanka in Karachi on Monday. The first match was wiped out without a ball being bowled at the same venue on Friday.
South Africa’s Hashim Amla continues to be the fastest to 11 ODI hundreds, becoming there in only 64 innings. South African Wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock had produced up his 11th century in solely his 65th innings.
A couple of years ago, former Pakistan coach Arthur had related Babar Azam with Virat Kohli. But in February this year, Arthur admitted he might have taken the gun in bringing that comparison although he continued that Babar Azam would be amongst the prime 5 batsmen in the world very soon.
“I assume he will be in the top five of the world very shortly across all formats. I believed I was a bit quick off the gun when I told two years before that he would be nearly as great as Virat Kohli but it has earned him a while to show that class,” Arthur was quoted.
“But if you saw him in the nets two years ago, he was a young boy who has turned into a young man, he’s got more powerful and fitter and his game gets more reliable and better all the time,” Arthur had said.
Virat Kohli, 30, is now rated amongst the most exceptional batsmen to have ever played the game. His 43 ODI centuries is second only to Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 hundreds in the format. Besides, Kohli has 25 Test tons and is the only man to average over 50 in all 3 formats in international cricket.
Babar Azam, 24, has secured only 1 hundred in his 21-Test career but averages over 50 in the shorter formats.
Babar Azam also became the fastest to 1000 ODI runs in a season for Pakistan, seizing to the milestone in just 19 innings.
