Azhar Ali completes 5000 runs in Test cricket

Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali reached a new milestone during the ongoing 1st Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Abu Dhabi. The 32-year-old now became only the 8th batsman from Pakistan to complete 5000 Test runs. Shortly before Tea interval on the 3rd day of the Test, he raised the milestone becoming the 93rd player overall to complete 5000 Test runs.

Azhar, who is currently the senior most player in the Pakistan XI has taken up the responsibilities of the batting order after the retirement of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq. The Pakistan batsman, who bats in the top three, needed 115 innings to complete the milestone. Thus, he became the 4th quickest among the eight Pakistan player to complete 5000 runs in the Test format. He completed the milestone in 61 Tests which is the 2nd fewest matches to the milestone among Pakistan players after Younis Khan (559).

Innings and matches needed to score 5000 Test runs among Pakistan players:

Among the eight Pakistan players with 5000 Test runs, only four so far have reached 6000 Test runs. Younis Khan is the only Pakistan players with 9000 and more runs in this format as he scored 10099 runs in his career.

Leading run-getters in Test cricket among Pakistan players:

Azhar Ali made his Test debut in 2010 in the Lord’s Test match against Australia in July. Since then, the Pakistan player is one of the seven players to aggregate over 5000 runs in the Test format. Azhar has played over 12000 deliveries in his Test career so far and spent over 280 hours at the crease batting. In these seven years, only Alastair Cook faced more deliveries and batted longer than Azhar in this format. The former England skipper faced over 16000 deliveries and spent 370 hours at the crease by playing 30 Tests more than Azhar in this period.

In these seven years, only Alastair Cook faced more deliveries and batted longer than Azhar in this format. The former England skipper faced over 16000 deliveries and spent 370 hours at the crease by playing 30 Tests more than Azhar in this period.

Highest run-getters in Test cricket since Azhar Ali’s debut: (13th July 2010)

(Stats as on September 30, 2017)

(Numbers are updated till Tea break of Pakistan-Sri Lanka 1st Test)