Babar Azam finally brought an end to his long century drought, smashing a magnificent unbeaten 102 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on November 14 (Friday). This ton came after 83 innings and 807 days, with his previous century recorded during the Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal.
The former Pakistan captain’s latest milestone not only revived his form but also lifted Pakistan to a commanding eight-wicket win while chasing 289. Contributions from Fakhar Zaman (78) and Mohammad Rizwan (51)* complemented Babar’s brilliance as Pakistan sealed an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-match series.
With this century, Babar now boasts 32 international centuries, overtaking legendary Pakistan batters Saeed Anwar and Javed Miandad. This achievement places him among Pakistan’s top five century-makers across all formats.
Most International Centuries for Pakistan
- 41 – Younis Khan
- 39 – Mohammad Yousuf
- 35 – Inzamam-ul-Haq
- 32 – Babar Azam
- 31 – Saeed Anwar & Javed Miandad
This match-winning knock was also Babar’s 20th ODI century, drawing him level with Saeed Anwar as the joint-highest century scorer for Pakistan in One-Day Internationals.
Most ODI Centuries for Pakistan
- 20 – Babar Azam
- 20 – Saeed Anwar
- 15 – Mohammad Yousuf
- 11 – Fakhar Zaman
- 11 – Mohammad Hafeez
Interestingly, Babar’s drought-ending century mirrors Virat Kohli’s period without a ton, as the Indian star also needed 83 innings to break his dry spell before scoring against Afghanistan during the Asia Cup 2022.
Babar Azam’s return to century-making form not only cements his place among Pakistan’s all-time greats but also signals strong momentum for the team as they continue to dominate the series.
