Babar Azam beats Virat Kohli, becomes third quickest to 11 ODI hundreds

KARACHI: Pakistan's stylish batsman Babar Azam has surpassed India captain Virat Kohli to become the third fastest player to reach 11 ODI tons. He  took 71 innings to the feat while Kohli needed 82 innings to reach the milestone.

Azam,  who had scored 96 in Pakistan’s last ODI against Bangladesh during the 2019 World Cup, smashed his eleventh one-day international century while playing against Sri Lanka in the second ODI  at the National Stadium in Karachi on Monday. The first match was washed out without a ball being bowled at the same venue on Friday.

South Africa’s prolific batsman Hashim Amla remains the quickest to 11 ODI hundreds, getting there in only 64 innings. Another South African Quinton de Kock had brought up his 11th hundred in only his 65th innings.

The 24-year-old Pakistani flamboyant batsman  also became the quickest to score 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year for Pakistan, reaching to the milestone in only 19 innings.

The right-handed batsman has so far scored two centuries and seven half-centuries in this year.

A brilliant century from Babar Azam and fast bowler Usman Shinwari´s five wickets steered Pakistan to win over  Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the second day-night ODI.