After a long wait of 807 days, Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam finally registered a much-anticipated century. In the second ODI against Sri Lanka, Babar remained unbeaten on 102, steering Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory and sealing the series 2-0 in favour of the hosts in Rawalpindi.
Sri Lanka, batting first after losing the toss, posted a competitive 288 for eight. Chasing the target, Pakistan reached the finish line with ten balls to spare, thanks to a remarkable innings by Babar. Opening partnerships had laid a solid foundation, and the third-wicket stand between Babar and Mohammad Rizwan contributed an unbroken 112-run partnership. This marked Babar’s 40th involvement in a century partnership in ODIs, the second-highest for Pakistan after Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Babar’s century also saw him equal the record for the most ODI centuries by a Pakistani, joining the legendary Saeed Anwar with 20 centuries each. Remarkably, Babar achieved this milestone in just 136 innings, compared to Anwar’s 247, making him the third-fastest to reach 20 ODI centuries globally. On home soil, this was Babar’s eighth century, surpassing Mohammad Yousuf’s tally of seven. Across all three formats, the 31-year-old now has 32 international centuries, ranking fourth among Pakistan batsmen behind the prolific Younis Khan.
Babar completed his century in 119 balls, hitting eight boundaries, and celebrated with a kneeling prostration. Rizwan chipped in with 51 not out from 54 balls, while the openers Fakhar Zaman and Sim Ayub gave Pakistan an ideal start. For Sri Lanka, Janith Liyanage top-scored with 54, supported by Kamindu Mendis (44) and Sadira Samarawickrama (42). Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed claimed three wickets each.
The third and final ODI will also be held in Rawalpindi, offering Babar and Pakistan a chance to further consolidate their dominance.