In the fifth and final match of the five-game ODI series, New Zealand defeated Pakistan and won the series 4-1. Despite Babar Azam’s failure to perform in his 100th ODI game, he achieved a notable feat.
Babar Azam now holds the record for the most runs scored after playing 100 ODIs with a total of 5089 runs, 18 centuries, and an outstanding average of 59.17.
Hashim Amla, with 4808 runs, is in second place on the list, while Shikhar Dhawan follows with 4309 runs. David Warner, with 4217 runs, and Shai Hope, with 4193 runs, round out the top five.
Azam played his 100th ODI game against New Zealand, which they lost by 47 runs. Despite the loss, Azam’s impressive record in the format helped him achieve this significant milestone.
Babar Azam, after the loss in the final ODI, acknowledged that it was a fantastic series, but the team didn’t end it as they had hoped. They struggled with the bat at the top of the order, and although Agha and Iftikhar had a good partnership, they left too many runs for New Zealand.
Azam emphasized the importance of being prepared to perform under any conditions and acknowledged that they needed to play better cricket in the final game.
Despite the loss, Azam noted that it was a positive series overall, and the team’s bowlers performed well throughout. The team had intended to test their bench strength, and there were many positives to take away from the series. Pakistan successfully chased down 300-plus targets and also defended scores under 300, which Azam believes is an excellent achievement for the team.