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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam finally ended his century drought in international cricket during the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium here on Friday.
The right-hander notched up his long-awaited 32nd international century. Babar reached the three-figure mark on the first ball of the 47th over with a little pull towards midwicket.
Chasing 289, Pakistan made light work of the target, reaching 291/2 with 10 balls to spare, thanks to commanding contributions from the top order led by their former captain.
Babar scored an unbeaten 102 off 119 deliveries as Pakistan took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Rawalpindi.
He walked in at No.3 and stitched a century partnership with Fakhar, maintaining Pakistan’s dominance through the middle overs.
Fakhar fell for a solid 78 off 93 (8 fours, 1 six), but Pakistan’s chase never wavered as Babar took complete control of proceedings.
The right-hander reached his long-awaited international hundred — his first in nearly two years — and stayed unbeaten on a masterful 102 off 119 balls, decorated with eight boundaries.
Babar finished the match in style, stroking the winning runs to seal both the victory and the series.
For the unversed, Babar last scored an international century against Nepal during the ACC Asia Cup, which was played in ODI format, back in August 2023.
He scored an impressive 151 runs off just 131 balls, featuring 18 boundaries, including four soaring sixes.
Since that knock, however, Babar has experienced a notable dip in form. Over the past 15 months, he has struggled to reach the three-figure mark across all three formats of the game.
Pakistan: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah.
Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando.
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