Former Pakistan Wicketkeeper and Rajasthan Royals player Kamran Akmal has made a bold prediction that Babar Azam is one of the few players who could break ODI Centuries record of Virat Kohli in near future. Previously, the record was held by Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 49 ODI centuries (100 in total). However, Virat Kohli surpassed this record during the semifinal against New Zealand on November 15 at Wankhede Stadium.
Sachin Tendulkar accumulated 49 ODI centuries over his 24-year-long career, spanning 463 matches. In contrast, Virat Kohli achieved the feat in 172 fewer innings than Tendulkar, breaking the record with 50 ODI centuries. Meanwhile, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma holds the third position on this distinguished list with 31 centuries in the ODI format.
Kamran Akmal Names Babar Azam and Shubam Gill to Break Kohli’s Record of ODI Centuries
Kamran Akmal, a former wicketkeeper for Pakistan, is hopeful that Babar Azam would eventually break Virat Kohli’s record. Shubman Gill and Babar Azam are two players Akmal believes have the ability to break this specific record set by Virat. He makes it clear that only a batter in the top order would be able to surpass this record.
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“Only Top order batters will be able to break 50 hundreds record. Middle-order batsmen can’t break it. We have Babar Azam who can do it. He plays in Top-3. They (India) have (Shubman) Gill, who can follow this record,” Akmal said on ARY News.
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Babar Azam has scored 19 century in 117 One-Day Internationals so far. He just announced his resignation as captain on Wednesday, November 15, following Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 elimination from the semi-finals. Pakistan lost five of its nine World Cup games under his supervision, including four straight losses that included a devastating setback to Afghanistan.
Babar did not do anything particularly remarkable with the bat during the event. Throughout the World Cup, he averaged forty runs per over and amassed 320 runs without recording a century.