"Pak's Babar Azam Smashes Record, Hits Century, Outshines Amla in Asia Cup '23"

 "Pak's Babar Azam Smashes Record, Hits Century, Outshines Amla in Asia Cup '23"

In the Asia Cup's 

opening game on August 30, 2023, Pakistan's cricket sensation, Babar Azam, shone bright at the Multan Cricket Stadium, facing Nepal. The Pakistani skipper etched his name in history by smashing a century, outclassing South African great Hashim Amla's milestone.

In an impressive display of skill, Azam compiled a remarkable 100 runs, punctuated by 10 elegant fours, securing his 19th ODI century. This exceptional achievement occurred in his 102nd inning, during the Asia Cup's inaugural match against Nepal on the hallowed grounds of the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Babar's remarkable feat surpassed Amla's previous record, which stood at 19 centuries in 104 innings. This momentous achievement came shortly after Azam secured his 18th century in just 97 innings, an unprecedented accomplishment in cricket's history, making him the first player to achieve 18 centuries in fewer than 100 innings.

Babar Azam's journey to cricketing greatness was marked by rapid-fire centuries. He garnered his 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries in a remarkably short span of innings. His initial ten centuries were achieved in a mere 68 innings, followed by an equally astonishing nine centuries in just 34 innings.

The record books reflected Babar Azam's dominance, placing him at the top of the list of players with the most ODI career runs after 102 innings. He held the throne with 5,353 runs, leaving behind stalwarts like Hashim Amla (5,165), Viv Richards (4,624), Joe Root (4,480), Shai Hope (4,465), and Shikhar Dhawan (4,401).

The playing XI for the match was as follows:

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf

Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Aarif Sheikh, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi

Babar Azam's astounding century was not just a victory for Pakistan, but a triumph etched in cricketing history, as he added his name to the legends who have graced the sport with their exceptional talent.