Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam is on the verge of rewriting history as the national team prepares to take on the West Indies in the opening One-Day International (ODI) of a three-match series on Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad. The match is scheduled to begin at 11:00 PM (PST).
The 30-year-old right-hander is just one century away from matching the legendary Saeed Anwar’s record of most ODI centuries by a Pakistani batter. Anwar scored 20 centuries in 247 matches (244 innings), a record that has stood for decades.
In comparison, Babar has already scored 19 centuries in just 131 matches (128 innings) — a staggering achievement in far fewer games.
Most ODI Centuries by Pakistani Batters:
Saeed Anwar – 20 centuries in 247 matches
Babar Azam – 19* centuries in 131 matches
Mohammad Yousuf – 15 centuries in 281 matches
Fakhar Zaman – 11 centuries in 82 matches
Mohammad Hafeez – 11 centuries in 218 matches
In addition to matching Anwar’s record, Babar is also eyeing another milestone — becoming the second-fastest player in ODI history to reach 20 centuries.
Currently, Virat Kohli holds that position with 20 centuries in 133 innings, while South Africa’s Hashim Amla leads the list with the fastest 20 tons in just 108 innings. Babar, with 19 centuries in 128 innings, has four innings left to surpass Kohli’s record.
Fastest to 20 ODI Centuries (by innings):
Hashim Amla – 108 innings
Virat Kohli – 133 innings
AB de Villiers – 175 innings
Rohit Sharma – 183 innings
A century in the upcoming matches would not only cement Babar’s place in Pakistan’s cricketing history but also elevate his status among the modern greats on the global stage.
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