Ricky Ponting: “I know there’s Inzamam (ul-Haq) and Younis Khan and those sorts of guys who’ve got more runs than him. By the time he’s finished, his numbers I’m sure will stack up along with the very best Pakistan has produced”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Australia batting maestro Ricky Ponting has backed Babar Azam to score the same amount or more runs than Pakistan legends like Inzamam-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.
Currently, Azam has scored 3,696 Test runs at an average of 48.63. In order to become Pakistan’s all-time leading scorer in that format, he will have to beat Younis, who amassed 10,099 runs at an average of 52.05.
As for ODIs, the 28-year-old has 4,813 runs to his name at an average of 59.41. In order to become Pakistan’s highest run-scorer, he would need to surpass Inzamam, who made 11,739 runs at an average of 39.52.
In regards to T20Is, Azam is already Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in the format as he has accumulated 3,355 runs at an average of 41.41.
“I know there’s Inzamam (ul-Haq) and Younis Khan and those sorts of guys who’ve got more runs than him,” Ponting said while speaking on The ICC Review.
“By the time he’s finished, his numbers I’m sure will stack up along with the very best Pakistan has produced, which will be great for him, but also all the cricket fans around the world who enjoy watching him play.”
Azam was recently rested for Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah, which the men in green lost 2-1.
The national team’s next assignment will see them play five T20Is and five ODIs against New Zealand, with the series starting on April 14.