Babar becomes youngest cricketer to receive Sitara-e-Imtiaz

LAHORE: Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam was conferred with the country’s third-highest civilian award, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, here in a Pakistan Day ceremony at Governor House Punjab on Thursday.

With the conferment, Babar became the youngest Pakistani cricketer to receive Sitara-e-Imtiaz at the age of 28.

Before Babar, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Muhammad Yousuf, Inzimam Ul Haq and Javed Miandad received the award.

Governor Punjab Balighur Rehaman conferred the award to Babar Azam at the Civil Award Ceremony at Governor House on the occasion of March 23.

Taking to Twitter, Babar dedicated the prestigious award to his parents, fans and people of Pakistan.

“Immense honour to have received Sitara-e-Imtiaz in the presence of my mother and father,” he tweeted after receiving the award

Separately, Pakistan women’s team cricketer Bismah Maroof also received Tamagha-i-Imtiaz from President Arif Avi in a ceremony held at Aiwan-i-Sadar, Islamabad.

It may be noted here that Babar and Bismah were among 14 athletes conferred with Presidents’ civil awards for their outstanding achievements in the field of sports. The list includes Commonwealth Games gold medalists Arshad Nadeem and Muhammad Nooh Dastagir, Jahangir Khan (squash), Ch. Shafay Hussain (Kabaddi), Shafiq Ahmed Chishti (Kabaddi), Sirbaz Khan (Mountaineering), Ahsan Ramzan (Snooker), Masood Jan (Blind Cricket), Amina Wali (Skiing), Abdul Karim (Mountaineer/ Porter), Irfan Mehsood (Martial Arts) and Ms Shahida (Karate)