Pakistan skipper Babar Azam becomes the fastest batter to score 5000 ODI runs

Pakistan captain Babar Azam broke former South African legend Hashim Amla's record to become the fastest cricketer to reach 5000 ODI runs. Babar reached the milestone when he knocked a single in the 16th over of the innings in the fourth ODI against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday, May 5.

Babar took only 97 innings and 99 matches to achieve the incredible milestone overtaking Amla, who reached the landmark in 101 innings.

Babar Azam is currently the No.1 ranked ODI batter according to the latest ICC rankings and has held that position over the last two years.

Having made his ODI debut in May 2015, Babar became the 14th player from Pakistan to reach the 5,000 run mark. He averages a stunning 60.01 with a strike rate of 89.14 in ODIs, with 17 centuries and 27 half-centuries under his belt.

Babar Azam is also the only player to score 350 plus runs in a three-match ODI series, having achieved that feat against the West Indies in 2016. During the 2019 ODI World Cup, the talismanic batter broke the record for most runs by a Pakistan batter in an edition, smashing 474 runs in eight innings at an average of 67.71.

The Pakistan skipper also won the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award in 2021 and 2022, while also being named the Cricketer of the Year in 2022.

He is currently leading his country in a limited-over series against New Zealand. After a drawn T20I series against the Kiwis, the Men in Green lead the ongoing five-match ODI series 3-0.

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"We have won the series but we can’t afford to relax" - Babar Azam after series win against New Zealand

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was pleased after his team won the third ODI and took an unassailable 3-0 series lead in the five-match series against New Zealand in Karachi on May 3.

Before the ODI series, Pakistan were in a similar situation, 2-0 ahead in the five-match T20I series, but faltered to seal the deal, resulting in the Black Caps squaring the series 2-2.

Speaking at the post-game presentation after the series win, Babar wanted the team to be ruthless and not let their guard down. He said:

"Whenever you win a series you feel good. We are trying to chase 350s in ODIs and also defend scores under 300. Yes, we have won the series but we can't afford to relax. We have checked our bench strength in this series and we will keep doing that in the remaining two games as well."

Opener Fakhar Zaman has been in imperious form through the first three games, scoring 330 runs at an average of 110, while the skipper himself has scored 248 runs at an average of 82.67.

The fifth and final ODI is scheduled to take place in Karachi on Sunday, May 7.