Babar Azam in action for Pakistan in the ODI match against New Zealand© AFP
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam on Friday became the fastest batter to complete 5,000 one-day international runs to lift his team to 334-6 in the fourth match against New Zealand in Karachi. The 28-year-old beat South African Hashim Amla’s record during his 117-ball 107 for his 18th ODI hundred after New Zealand won the toss and sent the home team in to bat at National Stadium. When Azam reached 19 in his 97th innings in 99 one-day internationals he completed 5,000 runs, improving on Amla’s feat of reaching the milestone in 101 innings from 104 matches. Azam added 50 for the second wicket with Shan Masood (44), 127 for the fourth wicket with Agha Salman (58) and another 41 for the sixth with Iftikhar Ahmed who scored 28.
Azam, who has been the number one batter on the International Cricket Council for the last two years, knocked 10 boundaries before he was caught at deep mid-wicket off debutant Ben Lister in the 48th over.
Azam is the 14th Pakistani to complete 5,000 or more runs in ODI cricket, with former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq at the top of the list with 11,701 runs.
Azam is also the fastest to 18 ODI hundreds, beating Amla’s record of 18 hundreds in 102 innings.
Salman chipped in with two sixes and four boundaries in his 46-ball knock before being caught and bowled by pacer Matt Henry who finished with 3-65.
Shaheen Shah Afridi hit three sixes and a boundary in his seven-ball 23 not out as Pakistan plundered 94 runs in the last 10 overs.
Pakistan lead the five-match series 3-0.
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