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Babar Azam Breaks Ricky Ponting’s Record to Join World’s Greatest Captains

Babar Azam scored yet another scintillating century in the ongoing opening Test match against New Zealand in Karachi. With this, Babar Azam broke former Australian captain, Ricky Pointing’s record for most fifty-plus scores as captain, across all formats, in a calendar year.

The right-handed batter completed his 25th fifty-plus score this year, while the former Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, did so in 2005.

Former Pakistan captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, scored fifty-plus runs 23 times in 2013, while Indian batting great, Virat Kohli scored 21 times in 2019.

Captain Country 50+ Year
Babar Azam Pakistan 25 2022
Ricky Ponting Australia 24 2005
Misbah-ul-Haq Pakistan 23 2013
Virat Kohli India 21 2019

If batters other than the captain are counted, Babar Azam equaled Sri Lankan batter, Kumar Sangakkara, in this record.

Kumar Sangakkara scored fifty-plus scores 25 times in 2014, Joe Root of England did so 23 times in 2016, and Sourav Ganguly from India did so in 1999.

Batter  Country 50+ Year
Babar Azam Pakistan 25 2022
Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lanka 25 2014
Ricky Ponting Australia 24 2005
Joe Root England 21 2016
Sourav Ganguly India 21 1999

Earlier this month, the Lahore-born cricketer achieved his career-best Test ranking, rising up to second place in the latest ICC batting rankings.

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