Babar Azam

Babar Azam is the personification of elegance. Known for his classy stroke play, Babar is capable of upping the ante when required. At 26, Babar has made a name for himself as the mainstay of Pakistan’s batting order. After scoring 158 in a match against England in 2021, Babar became the fastest batsman to score 14 centuries, reaching the milestone in just 83 matches. Babar Azam is also the top-ranked ODI batsman in the world with 865 points (as of July 16, 2021).

Known for his good technique, Babar Azam burst into the public eye after a string of consistent performances. Babar made his debut against Zimbabwe in 2015 and ended up scoring an impressive 54 off just 60 deliveries. In 2016, Azam scored three consecutive centuries against the West Indies in the UAE. Consequently, he became the highest scorer in a 3-match series with 360 runs. Moreover, he is the only batsman to score more than 350 runs in a 3-match ODI series.Babar Azam’s career skyrocketed after he scored three consecutive centuries against the West Indies. However, his red-ball stats weren’t as impressive.

Babar Azam’s Birth and Early Life 

Babar Azam was born in Lahore in October 1994. Cricketers Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal are his cousins. Early on in his childhood, he used to roam the streets of Lahore. Before becoming a professional cricketer, he watched a lot of cricket @ Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore as a ball boy. Watching Kamran and Umar in national colours is something that inspired him to take up cricket professionally. Babar Azam’s first coach was Rana Sadiq, and Babar was trained as a batsman under his guidance.

According to Mansoor Hameed, one of Babar Azam’s coaches during his formative years, he was a profoundly shy boy who found it challenging to get along with too many people. Once he got settled, it was impossible to get him out, Hameed added.

Babar Azam’s Personal Details

Babar Azam’s Family Details

Babar Azam’s Relationships

As stated earlier, cricketers Kamran and Umar Akmal are his cousins. Babar Azam’s father is Azam Siddiqui. He also has a younger brother, named Safeer Azam. In June 2021, he got engaged to his paternal cousin during a private ceremony.

Babar Azam’s Education Details

Babar Azam’s Early Cricketing Career

He played tape ball cricket at 12 and soon began his professional training. He got a taste of professional cricket when he was selected to play for Pakistan during the 2010 edition of the ICC U-19 World Cup. He ended up putting a bunch of consistent performances together and scored 298 runs during the tournament at an average of nearly 60.

In 2012, he was once again selected to represent Pakistan at the 2012 edition of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup. This time around, he was asked to lead the side. He finished the tournament as the 3rd highest run-scorer with a couple of fifties and a century.

Babar Azam was roped into the national side on the back of his impressive performances in the domestic circuit. He started his domestic career with Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. During the 2010-11 season. However, he shifted base to State Bank of Pakistan, one of the strongest cricket teams within Pakistan’s domestic circuit. In English County Cricket, Azam plays for Somerset CCC as one of their overseas recruits. Somerset roped Babar to play in the NatWest T20 Blast competition.He plays for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League but does not captain the side. His consistent performances in T20 cricket have made him one of Pakistan’s key players ahead of the ICC Men’s World T20. Babar Azam’s T20 career reached new heights with each passing game. He is not a natural striker of the ball as his game revolves around one thing, i.e. timing. He doesn’t always hit sixes, but can send the ball over the line when the situation demands quick acceleration.

Rise Through the Ranks

 The likes of Javed Miandad and Inzamam have been run machines for Pakistan, but the country’s cricketing establishments haven’t been able to produce ‘conventional’ batters who can play all three formats of the game. However, Babar Azam is an exception. This lad from Lahore has been a consistent performer across formats. His ODI numbers are exceptional as he has scored close to 4000 runs in just 83 matches at a stunning average of 56. As far as T20Is are concerned, his numbers are equally stunning. With over 2000 international runs in just 56 T20I matches, he is one of Pakistan’s contemporary greats.It goes without saying that his form would play a crucial part during Pakistan’s men’s ICC World T20 campaign. He is the team’s top contender to play the sheet anchor’s role. Others can play aggressively as he holds the innings together from one end.

Babar Azam As Captain of Pakistan

Babar was appointed the captain of the Pakistan side (across all formats) during the final months of 2020. He took over from Azhar Ali in the longest format of the game after the team management thought of grooming a young player to fill in the captain’s role. Many people in Pakistan look at him as a long-term prospect who is destined for greatness. Also, it was under his captaincy that Pakistan was able to win an away series in South Africa (ODIs and T20s) during the early part of 2021. It definitely augurs well for the upcoming T20 world cup tournament.

Away from Cricket

During an interview, Babar stated that he is a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. He loves eating out and indulging in a barbecue session at home. He likes to play video games when he is not playing cricket.

Brand Endorsements

Babar Azam is one of the most bankable athletes in Pakistan. He endorses various brands in Pakistan, including Gatorade and Adidas. Also, he has penned a deal with Gray Nicholls as his bat sponsor. He has also endorsed Oppo mobiles, Head and Shoulders shampoo and Huawei.

Babar Azam’s Net Worth

Babar Azam’s net worth is PKR 30crore, all thanks to his on-field heroics with the bat. He earns PKR 1.1 million as part of PCB’s grade-A contract. At 26, he is expected to become the next big thing in world cricket. His brand value and net worth is expected to grow by leaps and bounds.

Babar Azam’s Assets

Babar Azam’s Favourite Things