Babar Azam ended his long wait for an international century with a fluent unbeaten 102 in Rawalpindi. The former Pakistan captain reached the milestone after 83 international innings and 33 ODI innings. His knock guided Pakistan to a smooth chase of 289 against Sri Lanka, sealing an eight-wicket win with ten balls remaining.
He last scored a century during the 2023 Asia Cup against Nepal. The gap stretched to 807 days, adding to the scrutiny surrounding his form. His latest hundred is now his eighth on home soil, pushing him past Mohammad Yousuf. It also marked his 20th ODI century, drawing level with Saeed Anwar for the most by a Pakistani batter.
A striking coincidence added extra buzz. Virat Kohli also ended his own century drought after exactly 83 innings during the 2022 Asia Cup.
