Throughout Pakistan's history, we have lacked batsman who make ODI hundreds consistently

[BabarAkmal_Fan]

After Babar Azam made his 5th ODI hundred today at the young age of 22, I checked ESPNcricinfo to see how many Pakistani batsman had more centuries than his throughout their ENTIRE careers. Below is a list of the most number of centuries by Pakistani batsman:

Saeed Anwar - 20
Mohammad Yousuf - 15
Mohammad Hafeez - 11
Inzamam-ul-Haq - 10
Ijaz Ahmed - 10
Rameez Raja - 9
Javed Miandad - 8
Shoaib Malik - 8
Salman Butt - 8
Younis Khan - 7
Zaheer Abbas - 7
Ahmed Shehzad - 6
Shahid Afridi - 6
Babar Azam - 5

There are only 13 players in Pakistan's history who have scored more hundreds than Babar Azam in their entire careers. If we look at the list, Mohammad Hafeez has the third most ODI hundreds in Pakistan's history, which is pathetic. It is a crime that such a mediocre batsman has put up more hundreds than the likes of Zaheer, Inzimam, etc.

This is due to a lack of hunger to get big runs, and settling for 50. Babar's selfish play of late has been criticized, but at least he has a hunger for big runs that a lot of our top batsman have lacked throughout the years.

 

[shaz619]

After Babar Azam made his 5th ODI hundred today at the young age of 22, I checked ESPNcricinfo to see how many Pakistani batsman had more centuries than his throughout their ENTIRE careers. Below is a list of the most number of centuries by Pakistani batsman:

Saeed Anwar - 20
Mohammad Yousuf - 15
Mohammad Hafeez - 11
Inzamam-ul-Haq - 10
Ijaz Ahmed - 10
Rameez Raja - 9
Javed Miandad - 8
Shoaib Malik - 8
Salman Butt - 8
Younis Khan - 7
Zaheer Abbas - 7
Ahmed Shehzad - 6
Shahid Afridi - 6
Babar Azam - 5

There are only 13 players in Pakistan's history who have scored more hundreds than Babar Azam in their entire careers. If we look at the list, Mohammad Hafeez has the third most ODI hundreds in Pakistan's history, which is pathetic. It is a crime that such a mediocre batsman has put up more hundreds than the likes of Zaheer, Inzimam, etc.

This is due to a lack of hunger to get big runs, and settling for 50. Babar's selfish play of late has been criticized, but at least he has a hunger for big runs that a lot of our top batsman have lacked throughout the years.

However, it has taken Hafeez 183 games to attain those hundreds; that stat provides some perspective when it comes to his prowess. Also, outside Zimbabwe, WI and Bangladesh he has one hundred in NZ; all the rest of his hundreds are either in the UAE or asia.

 

[shaz619]

Am actually glad that there are ungrateful fans out there who criticise Babar despite him being just 22 and lack of awareness with regards to his development and value for the runs he is scoring now because it can take a little bit of pressure off him. If he became a cult of personality like figure often that can affect a player negatively as we've seen in the past but Babar seems to have his head screwed so all the best to him, hopefully he improves and gets better with time; wish him well.

 

[Moiza]

Pakistan cricket should be hanged. How is hafeez at 3? Maybe 100 years down the line some people will quote hafeez as a legend.

 

[Moiza]

It's honestly sad considering we have a population of 200+ million and the only sports we focus on is cricket. Pathetic. Hoping King Babar to climb to the no 1 position in the next 5-7 years, or possibly sooner if all goes well.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Babar will end up as Pak's best ever odi bat. IA.