Babar Azam: “I am not chasing any personal milestones or records. I just want to win matches for Pakistan and records will ultimately break themselves”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Babar Azam has made it abundantly clear that he is “not chasing any personal milestones or records” when batting.
He explained that individual records will naturally follow when the team performs well, adding that personal achievements are secondary to collective success.
Azam has been through a tough period recently, but is slowly starting to regain some form as he struck 50 in Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa and 68 in the T20I series that followed.
His best performance came in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, where he scored an unbeaten 102, which was his first international century since August 2023.
The 31-year-old continued his resurgence as he made 74 against Zimbabwe in a T20I tri-series that also included Sri Lanka.
“I am not chasing any personal milestones or records. I just want to win matches for Pakistan and records will ultimately break themselves,” he was quoted as saying by journalist Farid Khan on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Azam missed Pakistan’s T20I series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla as he was representing the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL).
In 11 matches for the Sixers, he amassed 202 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 22.44 and a strike-rate of 103.06.
Azam was back in Pakistan colours soon after as he took part in the three-match T20I series against Australia, where he finished with 76 runs, which included a top score of 50 not out, at an average of 38 and a strike-rate of 124.59.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be the 2026 T20 World Cup, where they will start their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.
Pakistan Squad for 2026 T20 World Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq