Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan make up one of the most exciting batting pairs in world cricket currently. While the skipper is known for his calm and classic knocks across formats, the wicket-keeper batter has been developing himself into an explosive game-changer. Both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, despite having different batting approaches, have climbed to the top-tier of Pakistan’s bunch of batters.
Although both the batters have a significant impact on the batting order across formats, there is always a debate about who the real ‘match-winner’ is. While Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan both have been mounting runs at every stage, here is a statistical analysis of whose runs proved more profitable for Pakistan.
Test Cricket
Both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have made key contributions with the bat in the long format, the latest example being the Karachi Test against Australia.
From the point where defeat was just a matter of time, Babar Azam guided Pakistan to a position where they might have even gone for the victory. Holding his nerves, the skipper played a marathon innings as he scored 196.
After the dismissal of Babar Azam, Pakistan looked like faltering on the final day, however, Rizwan’s fighting hundred saved the day in the end. Hence, both the batters hold an equally important position in the Test outfit of Pakistan.
As per stats, Babar Azam is slightly ahead of Mohammad Rizwan in terms of scoring match-winning runs. Out of his 2,851 runs in 40 Test matches, Babar Azam has scored 1,227 runs in winning causes while averaging 58.42.
His 3 out of 6 Test hundreds have contributed to Pakistan’s victories while 2 helped save the day including the magnificent 196 against Australia. Babar Azam has scored 1,101 runs at an average of 31.45 when Pakistan lost, a clear indicator that the team doesn’t do so well when Babar doesn’t contribute.
On the other hand, Mohammad Rizwan has appeared in only 22 Test matches scoring 1,112 runs at an average of 42.76. However, his role in Test cricket has been more of a savior than a winner.
The wicket-keeper batter averages 88 in the drawn games, while his average in the winning games remains 45.75. None of his hundreds came for the losing side, as he scored two Test hundreds, a match-winning 115 not out against South Africa and a match-saving 104 not out against Australia.
| Player | Babar Azam | Mohammad Rizwan |
| Matches | 40 | 22 |
| Runs Scored | 2,851 | 1,112 |
| Average | 45.98 | 42.76 |
| Runs Scored in Winning Cause | 1,227 | 366 |
| Runs Scored in Losing Cause | 1,101 | 482 |
| Runs Scored Drawn Matches | 523 | 264 |
| Average in Winning Cause | 58.42 | 45.75 |
| Average in Losing Cause | 31.45 | 32.13 |
| Average in Drawn Matches | 87.16 | 88.00 |
ODI Cricket
Babar Azam, being the world’s best batter in the ODI format, is the backbone of Pakistan’s ODI batting lineup. Mohammad Rizwan, however, has yet to find his archetypical role in the 50-over format.
Mohammad Rizwan, similar to other batters, is no match for Babar Azam as the latter keeps mounting runs. Babar Azam has 4,261 runs in 86 ODIs of which 2,561 have come in winning causes.
The star batter is clearly the biggest match-winner for Pakistan averaging 91.46 in the games that Pakistan won. Also, 12 of his 16 ODI hundreds paved the path for the victory. Moreover, his average in the losing cause dips down to 35.32 proving the importance of his contribution to wins.
Mohammad Rizwan, on the contrary, has not yet seen his best in the ODIs. The wicket-keeper batter has managed only 897 runs in 44 matches, averaging 28.03. Mohammad Rizwan has managed only 269 runs at an average of 38.42 in winning causes.
| Player | Babar Azam | Mohammad Rizwan |
| Matches | 86 | 44 |
| Runs | 4,261 | 897 |
| Average | 59.18 | 28.03 |
| Runs in Winning Cause | 2,561 | 269 |
| Average in Winning Cause | 91.46 | 38.42 |
| Runs in Losing Cause | 1,413 | 618 |
| Average in Losing Cause | 35.32 | 25.75 |
T20I Cricket
While Babar Azam outclassed Mohammad Rizwan in the ODI format, the case is not the same in T20Is. Ranked at number 1 and 3 respectively, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan together form the most lethal opening pair in the world.
Babar Azam has been ruling the T20 format for a while now, however, it was last year’s incredible transformation that ranked Mohammad Rizwan among the stars of the format.
Babar Azam has featured in 74 matches, smashing 2,686 runs at an average of 45.52. Out of the 74 matches he appeared in, Pakistan won 50 matches in which Babar Azam scored 1,916 runs at 47.90. Further proving the quality of runs, Babar Azam has an average of 37.42 in losing games which shows how vital his performance is for the victory of the team.
Mohammad Rizwan has played fewer matches than Babar Azam but he seems to have won more T20 contests than the skipper. Complimenting the calm batting style of his partner, Mohammad Rizwan has emerged as an aggressive opener in recent times.
In 56 matches, Mohammad Rizwan has amassed 1,662 runs while averaging in excess of 50. Out of his 1,662 runs, 1,274 runs contributed to Pakistan’s victory. Also, Mohammad Rizwan holds a staggering average of 70.77 in the winning causes, making him the most valuable batter in Pakistan’s T20 lineup.
| Player | Babar Azam | Mohammad Rizwan |
| Matches | 74 | 56 |
| Runs | 2,686 | 1,662 |
| Average | 45.52 | 50.36 |
| Runs in Winning Cause | 1,916 | 1,274 |
| Average in Winning Cause | 47.90 | 70.77 |
| Runs in Losing Cause | 711 | 333 |
| Average in Losing Cause | 37.42 | 25.61 |
While Babar Azam has proved to be superior in the ODI format, Mohammad Rizwan seems to be more impactful in the T20 game. However, both of the batters possess all the qualities to make them a dream duo for any team despite being poles apart in the batting style.
Moreover, the promising pair is likely to reach greater heights as the young squad of Pakistan gradually develops into an experience and formidable force in the world of cricket.
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