Pakistan skipper Babar Azam grew to become the quickest to 14 ODI centuries reaching the milestone in 81 innings at Edgbaston, Birmingham within the third ODI towards England. Azam additionally grew to become the second Pakistan captain to attain an ODI century on English soil. Only Imran Khan had beforehand hit a century in England when he registered an unbeaten 102 towards Sri Lanka in World Cup 1983. This additionally makes Azam the first-ever Pakistan skipper to attain an ODI century towards England in England.
On the checklist of quickest to 14 ODI centuries, the 26-year-old is adopted by Hashim Amla (84 innings), David Warner (98 innings), Virat Kohli (103 innings) and Quinton de Kock (104 innings).
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With his eighth fifty-plus rating in England, Azam additionally broke Mohammad Yousuf and Zaheer Abbas’s document of most fifty-plus ODI scores within the format touring England. The third-wicket partnership of 179 runs between him and Mohammad Rizwan is now the very best partnership for any wicket by Pakistan towards England. His 158-run knock is the very best rating by a Pakistan batsman towards England in ODIs. The earlier greatest belonged to Fakhar Zaman who scored 138 in World Cup 2019.
The century got here after disappointing scores within the first two ODIs of the three-ODI collection towards England’s second-string aspect led by Ben Stokes. The Eoin Morgan-led staff which performed limited-overs collection towards Sri Lanka has been in isolation after three gamers and 4 assist employees members examined constructive for Covid-19. It helped the guests submit 331/9 on the board.
Azam registered scores of 0 and 19 within the first and second ODI respectively. Azam’s third ODI rating of 158 from 139 deliveries can also be his private greatest within the format. He was given two probabilities by England in forty fourth and forty fifth over when he was batting on 126 and 134 respectively. His record-breaking inning was laced with 14 fours and 4 sixes.
Azam additionally grew to become the primary Pakistan skipper to attain a 150 in ODIs cricket. His 158 is the third-highest rating as a captain in England after Kapil Dev (175*) and Glenn Turner (171*). He joined the checklist of elite Asian skippers as properly who’ve scored a century in England. Apart from Mahela Jayawardene who has scored two ODI centuries in England, Imran, Dev, Sanath Jayasuriya have achieved the feat as soon as.
Earlier Stokes received the toss and elected to bowl first on a pitch that favoured the batters. Coming to bat within the fifth over, Azam performed 14 dot deliveries earlier than getting off the mark with a boundary.
This is Azam’s third ODI century in England. The first two got here towards England and New Zealand in World Cup 2019.
