Pakistan skipper Babar Azam sent a stern warning to India ahead of the IND vs PAK clash in Asia Cup 2023. The prolific batter slammed his 19th Century in ODIs and is bound to become a big thorn for the Men in Blue. In the opening game of the Asia Cup 2023, Babar Azam steadied Pakistan’s ship and scored a stunning Ton against Nepal. Babar was ultimately dismissed on 151.
Adding more to his stats, this was also Azam’s 8th Fifty + score in 12 ODI matches that the Pakistani skipper has played in 2023. With this century, his 19th in ODIs, Babar has equaled the likes of Brian Lara, David Warner and Mahela Jayawardena in ODIs.
Talk about a man in form and proving in the big stage. Recently Pakistan played a 3-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka. Apart from faltering in the 1st ODI where he scored a duck, Babar Azam has been in tremendous form. In the 2nd ODI he scored 53 runs and then repeated the same in the 3rd game of the series with yet another half-century (60 runs).
The skipper came to his team’s aid when the hosts lost both their openers early in the innings. Fakhar Zaman was dismissed for 14 and Imam-Ul Haq soon returned back to the pavilion after scoring just 5 runs.
On came Babar Azam and he along with Mohammad Rizwan stitched a strong partnership to put Pakistan in the driver’s seat. Though Babar initially took a cautious start to the game, but with every passing ball his confidence improved as he registered a fine fifty, which is also his third consecutive fifty in ODIs.
Soon Babar stitched another fine partnership with Iftikhar Ahmed as the skipper went on to register his 19th century in ODIs.
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Up next is the biggest game of the Asia Cup 2023. India vs Pakistan and with Babar Azam boasting of such a blistering form, it is a big worry for Rohit Sharma and Co. The Men in Blue will have to devise a plan to dispatch the Pakistani skipper as early as possible before the latter can begin to inflict damage on the Indian team.
India faces Pakistan in their opening clash of the Asia Cup 2023 on 2nd September in Sri Lanka.
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