Babar, Shami break records during blockbuster clash

Express Tribune

23-02-2025

Babar Azam on Sunday, added another feather to his cap as he became just the third Pakistan batter to score more than a thousand runs in 50-over ICC tournaments.
The right-handed batter achieved the milestone during the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 blockbuster clash against arch-rivals India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Although Babar could muster 23 runs from 26 deliveries with the help of five boundaries, it was enough for the star batter to breach the 1000-run barrier in 50-over ICC tournaments, joining the likes of legendary Saeed Anwar and Javed Miandad.
Legendary opener Anwar tops the list with 1204 runs, followed by Miandad with 1083, while Babar is at third with 1014 runs.
Meanwhile, Babar is the fastest to amass the milestone, taking 24 innings, one fewer than Anwar.
Fastest to 1000 runs in ICC ODI events for Pakistan:
Babar Azam: 24 innings
Saeed Anwar: 25 innings
Javed Miandad: 30 innings
Babar kicked off his ICC tournament's journey with the Champions Trophy 2017, where he scored 133 runs in five innings and played a crucial role in his team's title victory.
The right-handed batter had a breakout tournament, the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019, during which he accumulated 474 runs at a brilliant average of 67 with the help of a century.
He then had a relatively quiet outing in the next edition of the mega event in 2023, where he could pile up 320 runs in nine innings at an average of 40.
Babar then scored a scratchy half-century in the curtain raiser of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 against New Zealand, which drew severe criticism from fans and cricket pundits.
Shami's unwanted record
India's experienced pacer Mohammed Shami found himself on an unwanted list of bowlers as he bowled a forgetful over in the game.
Shami, who opened the attack for India in the highly-anticipated clash, bowled 11 deliveries in his first over, the joint most by an Indian bowler in ODIs.
The right-arm pacer struggled to maintain his line as he bowled five wides on either side of the wicket.
As a result, Shami joined fellow pacers Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan, who had also bowled 11 deliveries in an over in 2006 and 2003, respectively.
Most balls bowled in an over for India in an ODI (including wides and no balls)
Mohammed Shami - 11 v PAK, Dubai today
Irfan Pathan - 11 v WI, Kingston 2006
Zaheer Khan - 11 v AUS, Wankhede 2003
Notably, all three instances occurred during the first over of the innings.
Adding further to his woes, the right-arm pacer presumably picked up an ankle injury in his third over and required medical attention.
Although, he managed to complete his said over and conceded only three runs he could not continue for the fourth and was consequently replaced by Hardik Pandya, who provided India a much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Babar Azam on 23.