Babar Azam is a Pakistani international cricketer and former captain of the Pakistan national cricket team across all formats. He is famous as one of the premier batters in contemporary world cricket. Currently holding a unique position as the only cricketer in the top 5 rankings across all formats, he stands as the number one batter in ODIs, fourth in T20Is, and fifth in Tests. However, in November 2023, after the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India, Babar Azam resigned from the captaincy in all formats. Recently, he has reclaimed the No.1 position for ODI batters from India's Shubman Gill following a major shake-up on the latest MRF Tyres ICC Men's Player Rankings.
Early Life
Babar Azam was born on October 15, 1994. He hails from the Walled City of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. As of 2023, he marked his 29th birthday, falling under the Libra zodiac sign. Mohammad Babar Azam is his birth name. Belonging to a Punjabi Muslim family, Babar holds Pakistani nationality and his ethnicity is Asian-Pakistani. He reminisces about his childhood, playing cricket freely in the streets of Lahore. Inspired by his older first cousins, Kamran and Umar Akmal, he embraced cricket as his passion.
Initially a ball boy at Gaddafi Stadium, he later joined a cricket academy under the guidance of his first coach, Rana Sadiq, who laid the foundation for his batting skills. Babar's journey continued as he became part of the Pakistan U-19 setup, and he owes his cricketing roots to the home series Pakistan played between 2006 and 2008. About his family, he is the son of his father, Azam Siddique, and his mother.
Babar grew up with his two siblings namely Safeer Azam and Faisal Azam. His religion is Islam. He sought guidance from Rana Sadiq, his first coach, who taught him the fundamentals of batting. Later, he went on to be a part of the Pakistan U-19(under 19) setup. For his education, he joined Harvard Business School‘s executive education program in 2023.
Career
International Career
- Babar Azam, in May 2015, entered the Pakistani ODI squad for the home series against Zimbabwe, marking his debut in the third ODI where he impressively scored 54 runs off 60 balls.
- This stellar performance earned him a spot in both the Test and ODI squads selected for the away series against Sri Lanka, although he wasn't selected to play in the Test series.
- Despite scoring 37 runs in the two ODIs he played during the Sri Lanka series, he continued to make his mark.
- Retained in the ODI squad for the home series against England, he showcased his prowess by scoring an unbeaten 62 in the first ODI, contributing significantly to Pakistan's victory.
- His consistency in the series, with subsequent scores of 4, 22, and 51, led to a total of 139 runs at an average of 46.33.
- Subsequently, in January 2016, during Pakistan's tour of New Zealand, Babar emerged as the leading run-scorer in the ODI series, amassing 145 runs in two innings at an impressive average of 72.50.
- His journey continued with the five-match ODI series against England in July, where he contributed 122 runs.
- Notably, he made his Twenty20 International debut in September 2015 against England, scoring an unbeaten 15 runs off 11 balls, securing a victory for Pakistan in both the match and series.
- Additionally, in a two-match ODI series against Ireland, he played a pivotal role in Pakistan's historic win, scoring 29 runs in the first ODI, contributing to a series victory despite the second ODI being abandoned due to rain.
- In 2016, he made a powerful impact in the home series against the West Indies, securing his place with outstanding performances.
- He scored consecutive centuries in the ODI series, including an impressive 120, 123, and 117 runs in three matches, setting a record for the most runs (360) in a three-match ODI series and becoming the only batsman to score 350+ runs in such a series.
- Following this success, he made his Test debut against the West Indies in Dubai, scoring 69 runs in his first innings.
- He continued to shine in ODIs, achieving the joint-fastest player to score 1,000 runs and later becoming the fastest for Pakistan in just 21 innings.
- Notably, in the Champions Trophy 2017, he played a crucial role, scoring consistently and helping Pakistan win the tournament.
- Despite a challenging Test series in September 2017, his ODI prowess soared as he became the fastest batsman to score a seventh ODI century and the first to achieve five consecutive centuries in one country.
- Recognized as Pakistan's ODI Player of the Year in 2017, he also earned a spot in the ICC World ODI XI.
- In 2018, although facing a tough ODI series against New Zealand, he rebounded in the T20I series, becoming the no.1 T20I batsman.
- His exceptional performances continued, winning him the Man of the Series award against the West Indies and securing the top spot in the T20I rankings.
- Despite a wrist injury in May 2018, he made a triumphant return against Zimbabwe, contributing significantly to Pakistan's victory in the ODI series.
- In September 2018, he earned a spot in the 2018 Asia Cup held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- Despite it being his debut in the Asia Cup, his performance was less than stellar, as he only managed to score 156 runs at an average of 31.20 in five matches.
- Later, in November 2018, during the second Test against New Zealand, Azam achieved a significant milestone by scoring his inaugural century in Test cricket.
- Azam made headlines in April 2019 when he was named in Pakistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
- The ICC recognized him as one of the five exciting talents making their Cricket World Cup debut.
- Before the tournament, in a series against England, Babar showcased his form, scoring 65 in a T20I and emerging as the joint leading runs-scorer in a 5-match ODI series with 277 runs, including a century.
- During the World Cup, he achieved several milestones, becoming the fastest Pakistani to reach 3,000 ODI runs.
- In the match against New Zealand, he scored his 10th ODI century, helping Pakistan secure a victory.
- His exceptional performances continued as he broke Javed Miandad's record for the most runs by a Pakistani batsman in a World Cup edition.
- In September 2019, he was appointed vice-captain for the home series against Sri Lanka and later named captain of the T20I team.
- His standout performances continued in Test cricket, notably scoring centuries against strong opponents.
- Babar's leadership roles expanded in 2020 when he captained Pakistan in various formats.
- Despite suffering an injury in November 2020, he maintained his stellar form and achieved records, including breaking the 16-year-old record for the most runs in a calendar year by a Pakistan batter.
- In April 2021, he reached the No. 1 ODI batsman ranking, surpassing Virat Kohli.
- On 14 April 2021, he secured his maiden T20I century, scoring 122 against South Africa, forming a record-breaking partnership of 197 runs with Mohammad Rizwan.
- Later in April, he became the fastest batsman to reach 2,000 runs in T20Is.
- In September 2021, he captained Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, leading the team to the semi-finals and regaining the top spot in T20I batsmen rankings.
- In March 2022, facing Australia, he scored 196 runs in a Test match and broke the record for most runs by a captain in the fourth innings.
- In ODI cricket, he reached 4,000 runs in just 82 innings, becoming the fastest Asian to do so.
- His remarkable ODI captaincy also led Pakistan to a series win against Australia in 2022.
- In April 2023, he played his 100th T20I match and secured his third T20I century, becoming the first captain to achieve this feat.
- In May 2023, he made history by becoming the fastest batter to score 5,000 ODI runs in terms of innings, achieving his 18th ODI century in the same match.
- Under his captaincy, Pakistan reclaimed the No. 1 ODI team ranking after 33 years.
- Despite these successes, in November 2023, Babar Azam resigned from captaincy in all formats following Pakistan's disappointing World Cup campaign.
Domestic Career
- Babar Azam's journey in domestic cricket began by playing for Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited and Islamabad Leopards.
- Later, he contributed significantly to the State Bank of Pakistan and Sui Southern Gas Company cricket teams in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
- In September 2019, he took on the role of captain for Central Punjab, leading them to victory in the 2019–20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and showcasing his T20 prowess by scoring three centuries and over 1,500 runs in the 2019–20 National T20 Cup.
- Continuing his stellar form, he remained captain for Central Punjab in the 2020–21 season and set a record as the fastest batsman to reach 1,000 runs in National T20 Cup history.
- His excellence extended to the 2021–22 National T20 Cup, where he became the fastest batsman to score 7,000 runs in T20 cricket.
- In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he has been a consistent force, notably leading Karachi Kings to victory in the 2020 season, earning him the Player of the Tournament title.
- After captaining Karachi Kings, he was traded to Peshawar Zalmi ahead of the 2023 PSL season, taking on the role of captaincy.
- Additionally, Babar showcased his skills in various international leagues, including the Caribbean Premier League and the Bangladesh Premier League, leaving a lasting impact with his exceptional performances for Somerset in the English T20 Blast.
Awards and Achievements
2017
- He was named in the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2017
- PCB's ODI Cricketer of the Year: 2017
2018
- PCB's T20I Cricketer of the Year: 2017
2019
- He was named in the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2019
2020
- 2020 Pakistan Super League Player of the Tournament
- ARY News Person of the Year 2020
2021
- Named as ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2021
- Named as captain of the ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year 2021
- Named as captain of the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2021
- Named as captain of the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament
- Winner of ICC Player of the Month for April 2021
- PCB's ODI Cricketer of the Year: 2021
2022
- Named as ICC Cricketer of the Year ( Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy): 2022
- Named as ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2022
- Named as captain of the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2022
- Named in the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year 2022
- Winner of ICC Player of the Month for March 2022
2023
- On 23 March 2023, he was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pakistan's third highest civilian award. At the age of 28, he became the youngest cricketer ever to get honored with the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz.
Personal Life
As of now, Babar Azam remains unmarried, but he is engaged to his cousin Nadia, who happens to be his uncle's daughter. While their wedding date has not been officially set, reports suggest that the couple intends to marry in the current year. Having secured the family's approval for their union, Babar and Nadia are anticipated to exchange vows in a private ceremony. In late 2023, he bought an INR 7-lakh Sabyasachi designer sherwani in India for his own wedding. The engaged pair is currently enjoying their life a lot.
In January 2023, Babar Azam experienced a privacy breach when his personal videos, images, audio files, and even WhatsApp conversations were leaked on Instagram. The content suggested that he was engaging in inappropriate conversations with the girlfriend of another Pakistani cricketer, urging her to persist in such interactions to secure her boyfriend's position in the Pakistani team. While certain reports indicated that he might have fallen victim to a honey trap, others alleged his involvement in affairs with 5-6 other individuals. Journalist Farid Khan clearly stated that it was a targeted campaign against Babar.
Net Worth
Babar Azam, the accomplished cricketer, has a net worth estimated at $5 million as of 2023. He is making an annual salary of around PKR 1.5 Crore. Notably, he holds an 'A' Grade three-year contract from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the 2023/24 season, alongside fellow players Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi. This elite contract promises a substantial monthly salary of PKR 3 million (INR 13.14 Lakh), reflecting a remarkable 202% increase over their previous earnings. Furthermore, Babar and his peers are entitled to additional match fees, receiving PKR 1.25 million ($4358) for a Test, PKR 644,620 ($2247.70) for an ODI, and PKR 418,584 ($1459) for every T20I.
Babar's journey through the Pakistan Super League (PSL) salary categories has been impressive, starting from the Silver category in 2016 to reaching the pinnacle of the Platinum category in subsequent seasons, earning $130,000 (Rs 1.03 crore approx). In 2023, while representing Peshawar Zalmi, Babar continued to command a substantial income, maintaining his financial standing in the cricketing world.
Azam has established lucrative partnerships with renowned brands such as Oppo, Head & Shoulders, HBL, Huawei, Credit Book, Free Fire, Bank Alfalah, Gray Nicholls, Noon Pakistan, and MoneyGram. His stellar performance against the West Indies in 2018 earned him a superbike as the Player of the Series, and he proudly owns a Yamaha R1, valued at Rs 20 lakh in India. Adding to his collection, the Pakistan captain indulges in luxury with a BMW RR 310, priced between Rs 2.85 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, depending on the model.
In the realm of automobiles, Babar also navigates the roads in a now-discontinued Audi A5, as per Carwale. Additionally, his achievements include winning a BAIC BJ40 Plus Jeep as the Man of the Series against Australia in April 2022. He is living a lavish lifestyle as of now.
Body Measurements
Babar Azam, the talented cricketer, has an athletic body build complemented by a height of 5 feet 11 inches (180.5 cm) and a weight of 75 kg (165.5 lbs). With striking dark brown hair and matching eyes, his distinctive features include a cleft chin, a prominent unibrow, and a beauty spot on his forehead. Babar adds a touch of style by brushing his hair backward. Beyond his physical attributes, he exudes a healthy and attractive personality, contributing to his overall charm on and off the cricket field.
