Stats: Babar Azam becomes the second fastest batsman to 3,000 ODI runs

Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam continues to amaze the fans and cricket experts alike with his superlative performances with the bat in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2019. He is the leading run scorer for the Men in Green and is showing signs of making sure that his team moves on from that bad start in the tournament. Babar notched up the 10th century of his career to take Pakistan over the line in the tense game and also crossed the 3000-run mark in the format.

Before the game, the 24-year-old from Lahore had amazing statistics in the 50-overs format with 2971 runs in 69 ODI matches with 9 centuries to his name with the best score of 125*. He has also been the third joint fastest to reach 1,000 ODI runs and second joint fastest to 2,000 ODI runs. He was also the fastest batsman to reach 7 centuries in ODIs as he scored those in just 33 innings and was the second youngest to score a hat-trick of One-Day International centuries.

Babar puts another feather in his cap

Now, he has put another feather in his cap which is overflowing with accolades. When Babar Azam reached 29 runs in his innings against New Zealand in Birmingham, he became the second fastest to get 3,000 runs in ODIs in 68 innings and 70 matches, after South Africa’s Hashim Amla who did it in 57 innings and 57 matches.

Babar gained the no.2 spot beating the likes of Sir Viv Richards (69 inns) and Gordon Greenidge (72 inns) of West Indies. He has been prolific in his run-making in the World Cup so far with 333 runs in 6 innings with an average 66.60 and a strike rate over 85 with the best score of 101* which he scored in the same game.

Babar has been consistent in getting useful starts and that is visible in his numbers in the tournament as he has scored 22,63,30, 48, 69 and played a match-winning knock as well.

Other batsmen in this list are Gary Kirsten of South Africa, Shikhar Dhawan of India, and Joe Root of England (all 72 inns). Kane Williamson reached 3,000 ODI runs in 73 innings, while Quinton de Kock did it in 74 and Virat Kohli caps the top 10 with 75 innings taken.