Watch, PSL 2025 | Babar’s bat stays quiet as silver duck and marks shaky start for Peshawar Zalmi
When someone is going through a rough patch, destiny can either script a turnaround or deepen the slump. Such was the case with Peshawar Zalmi’s skipper Babar Azam, whose Pakistan Super League campaign began on a disappointing note as he was dismissed for a silver duck by Mohammad Amir.
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International career
Babar Azam is one of Pakistan’s most talented cricketers. He has achieved significant milestones in his international career across all formats. Below is a summary of his journey year by year.
ODI Career
- 2015: Babar played his first ODI on May 31 against Zimbabwe and scored a half-century.
- 2016: He showed great potential with two fifties in New Zealand. In September, he hit three consecutive centuries against the West Indies, finishing the series with 360 runs at an average of 120.
- 2018: On July 22, Babar made another century against Zimbabwe, leading Pakistan to victory. Earlier that year, he played a crucial knock of 69 against Sri Lanka.
- 2019 ICC World Cup: Babar was in strong form, amassing 474 runs in eight matches. His best performance came against New Zealand with an unbeaten 101, helping Pakistan secure an important win.
T20I Career
- 2016: Babar made his T20I debut on September 7 against England. He scored his first half-century in his second match against the West Indies.
- 2021 T20 World Cup: Babar and Mohammad Rizwan led Pakistan to a historic 10-wicket victory over India in the opening match. He finished the tournament as the top scorer.
- 2022 T20 World Cup: Though his performances were below expectations, he made a half-century in the semifinal, guiding Pakistan to the final.
- 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar became the leading scorer in the tournament with 44 runs in a match against the USA. He was also named to the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year for scoring 738 runs in 24 matches with six half-centuries.
Test Career
- 2018: Babar made his first Test century against New Zealand.
- 2024: In 47 matches, he has made nine Test centuries, solidifying his reputation as a consistent and reliable batter for Pakistan.
Babar Azam has become a key player for Pakistan with his remarkable batting across all formats..
Leagues Participation
Babar Azam, one of the finest cricket talents from Pakistan, has participated in various T20 leagues across the globe. From national leagues like the National T20 Cup to international tournaments like the Caribbean Premier League and Lanka Premium League, his journey has been marked with numerous records and achievements.
Indian Premier League (IPL)
Babar Azam, despite his global reputation as a top cricketer, has not participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This is largely due to the political tensions between India and Pakistan, which prevent Pakistani players from being part of the league.
In 2022, after the T20 World Cup, a journalist asked Babar about his views on participating in the IPL during a press conference. However, the team's media manager interrupted, directing the focus back to the ongoing tournament.
National T20 Cup
Babar's journey in the National T20 Cup has been extraordinary, setting records and earning accolades consistently.
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Season
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Team
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Achievements
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2019–20
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Central Punjab
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Named captain; led the team to victory in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy finals.
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2020–21
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Central Punjab
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Became the fastest batter to reach 1,000 runs in National T20 history (27 innings).
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2021–22
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Central Punjab
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Scored 7,000 T20 runs in 187 innings, becoming the fastest player in T20 history to do so.
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Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Babar has been a key player in the PSL, and he delivered outstanding performances throughout the seasons.
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Season
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Team
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Achievements
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2016
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Islamabad United
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Played as part of the inaugural PSL team.
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2017–2019
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Karachi Kings
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Scored consistently, becoming one of the top run-scorers.
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2020
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Karachi Kings
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Led the team to their first PSL title, scoring 473 runs at an average of 59.12.
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2021
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Karachi Kings
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Broke his own record by scoring 554 runs in a single PSL season.
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2023–2024
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Peshawar Zalmi
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Scored 569 runs in 11 matches, averaging 56.90 in the 2024 season as captain.
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Bangladesh Premier League (BPL)
In 2016, Babar Azam was signed by Rangpur Riders (later Rangpur Rangers) in the Bangladesh Premier League. However, national duties prevented him from participating. In 2017, he played briefly for Sylhet Sixers, and he displayed glimpses of his batting prowess.
Caribbean Premier League (CPL)
Babar participated in the Caribbean Premier League in 2017 as a part of the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Though his stint was short, he gained valuable experience playing in diverse conditions.
Vitality Blast (T20 Blast)
Babar Azam had an incredible run in England’s T20 Blast, representing Somerset.
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Season
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Achievements
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2019
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Scored 578 runs in 13 matches, becoming the tournament's highest run-scorer with an average of 52.54.
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2020
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Registered his career-best score of 114 against Glamorgan, completing 5,000 career T20 runs.
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Lanka Premium League (LPL)
Babar made his debut in the Lanka Premium League in 2023, representing Colombo Strikers as their captain.
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Season
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Team
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Achievements
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2023
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Colombo Strikers
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Appointed captain; reportedly signed for a price between $120k–$150k.
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Other Pakistani players in the Colombo Strikers included Iftikhar Ahmad, Muhammad Nawaz, and Naseem Shah.
Domestic career
Babar Azam started his first-class career in 2010 with Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited. His first match was on December 10, 2010, against National Bank Limited in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Babar scored 54 runs from 114 balls, but the match ended in a draw.
He played his first List A match in the Royal Bank of Scotland Cup in Multan, where he scored a half-century and helped his team win. Babar's first T20 match was for Lahore Eagles against Hyderabad Hawks in the Faysal Bank T20 Cup in Lahore on December 1, 2012.
Records and achievements
Babar Azam has reached many milestones in his cricket career.
Awards:
- 2017
- ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year
- PCB's ODI Cricketer of the Year
- 2018
- PCB's T20I Cricketer of the Year
- 2019
- ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year
- 2020
- Pakistan Super League Player of the Tournament
- ARY News Person of the Year
- 2021
- ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year
- Captain of ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year
- Captain of ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year
- Captain of ICC Men's T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament
- ICC Player of the Month for April 2021
- PCB's ODI Cricketer of the Year
- 2022
- ICC Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy)
- ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year
- Captain of ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year
- Member of ICC Men's Test Team of the Year
- ICC Player of the Month for March 2022
- 2023
- Awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s third-highest civilian award, on March 23, 2023, at the age of 28. He became the youngest cricketer to receive this honor.
Records:
- Third-fastest Pakistani batsman to score 1000 runs in ODIs (21 innings)
- Joint fastest Pakistani batsman to reach 2000 runs in ODIs (45 innings)
- Second-fastest Asian batsman to score 3000 runs in ODIs (68 innings)
- Fastest player to reach 5000 runs in ODIs (97 innings)
- Most runs in the first 25 innings of his career (1306 runs)
- First player to score 5 consecutive centuries in one country (UAE)
- Fastest to score 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 ODI centuries
- Second-most centuries in ODIs by a Pakistani, with 19 centuries (behind Saeed Anwar’s 20)
- Only player to score 3 consecutive centuries twice in ODIs
- Fastest captain to score 1000 runs in ODIs (13 innings)
- Highest run-scorer for Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup (303 runs)
- Fastest batsman to score 1000 runs in T20Is (26 innings)
- Most runs by a Pakistani in a single World Cup (474 runs in the 2019 World Cup)
- Top ODI scorer for Pakistan in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022
- Top Test scorer for Pakistan in 2018, 2019, and 2022
- Highest Test score for a Pakistani captain in the fourth innings of a Test match
- First Pakistani captain to defeat India in a World Cup match
- First Pakistani to win the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year twice
- Highest individual score for a Pakistani captain in ODIs (158 against England in 2021)
- Fastest to reach 2000 and 2500 T20I runs
- One of three Pakistani batsmen to score a century in all formats
- Highest T20I score and most centuries for Pakistan in T20Is
- Highest run-scorer in the PSL for 2020 and 2021 with 473 and 554 runs, respectively, and the league's all-time leading run-scorer
- First Pakistani captain and fifth overall to complete 1000 runs across all formats
- First Pakistani and fourth captain to score a century in all formats
- Faced 425 balls in the second Test against Australia in Karachi in 2022, the fourth most balls faced in a fourth-innings Test match
- Second-most minutes batted in a fourth-innings Test match
- Joint most international centuries by a Pakistani captain
- In 2022, broke Ricky Ponting’s record for most fifty-plus scores in a calendar year, with 25 scores over fifty
Personal life
Babar Azam is a popular cricketer with a successful career both on and off the field. Let's look at some key aspects of his life.
Family Life
Babar Azam was born on October 15, 1994, in Lahore, into a lower-middle-class family. His father, Azam Siddiqui, worked at a small watch repair stall to support his family, including his wife and four children: Faisal, Safeer, Babar, and Faariya. Cricket runs in Babar's family, as he is the cousin of cricketers Adnan Akmal, Kamran Akmal, and Umar Akmal. Growing up surrounded by cricket inspired his passion for the sport. Babar is still single and has not yet married, choosing to focus on his cricket career for now.
Financial Success
Babar Azam has earned a lot of money, both from cricket and brand deals. He has worked with popular brands like Pepsi, Head & Shoulders, Samsung, and Oppo. Babar’s estimated net worth is around $5 million (₨1,425,514,110 PKR), showing his success both as a cricketer and a brand ambassador.
Cars and Houses
Babar Azam enjoys luxury cars. His collection includes an Audi A5 and a BAIC BJ40 Plus Jeep. He lives in a two-story house in Lahore with a great view and an indoor gym. He also owns a bungalow in the DHA area and a modest home in Johar Town, Lahore. In addition, Babar has a farmhouse in Lahore called "Azam's Farmhouse", which is luxurious and modern.
Scandals
Babar Azam has faced some controversies. A fake viral video about him sexting a colleague's girlfriend spread online. The video was later found to be fake. In 2020, a woman accused Babar of physical and sexual abuse, claiming he had exploited her for 10 years. She said he made her pregnant and promised to marry her. These allegations were not proven.
Fan Base
Babar Azam has a large fan following, especially on social media. He is one of the most followed Asian cricketers. His social media presence includes:
- Instagram: 5.4 million followers
- Facebook: 4.7 million followers
- Twitter: 5.4 million followers
His fans continue to support him, and that makes him a major figure in cricket.
