RAWALPINDI: Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam on Sunday became the fifth batter from the country to score 16,000 runs in international cricket.
Babar, 32, achieved the landmark at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in the opening match of the ODI tri-series against Sri Lanka.
Before heading into the fixture, Babar required only seven runs to complete the milestone, which he reached on the sixth ball of the fifth over in his 399th innings in international cricket.
With this feat, he became the fifth cricketer from Pakistan to complete the milestone, joining Inzamam-ul-Haq, Javed Miandad, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan.
Most runs for Pakistan in International Cricket
Inzamam-ul-Haq 495 matches — 20541 runs
Younis Khan 408 matches — 17790 runs
Mohammad Yousuf 374 matches —17134 runs
Javed Miandad 357 matches — 16213 runs
Babar Azam 355 matches 16038 runs
Babar came to the crease when Pakistan were in a precarious position, 32-5 inside five overs. However, he launched a steady recovery with Saad Baig, who made 39 off 40 with the aid of two sixes and three fours on his ODI debut. The pair shared a 74-run stand for the third-wicket to take Pakistan out of trouble.
Babar was eventually caught after scoring 45 from 57 deliveries with the aid of six boundaries.
For context, Babar has led Pakistan in all three formats, scoring 4,771 runs in 66 Tests, 4,596 runs in 145 T20Is and 6,633 runs in 144 ODIs. He is also the leading run-scorer in T20Is and overall the ninth-highest run-scorer for Pakistan in ODIs with 21 centuries to his name.
He is also level with former opener Saeed Anwer on 20 ODI centuries, the joint-most by a Pakistan batter.