Key Takeaways:
- Baba Azam holds the record for most runs in men’s T20 International, moving past Rohit Sharma in October 2025
- His ODI average is 54, which makes him one of the best one-day batters Pakistan have ever seen.
- His first BBL season with the Sydney Sixers saw him score 202 runs at a strike rate of 103, which is the lowest for anyone with over 200 runs in a single BBL campaign.
- As of April 2026, Babar Azam is single, despite the constant rumours that follow him.
The Numbers behind the name Babar Azam
In his Test career, so far, Babar Azam has played 61 matches and scored 4366 runs at an average of 42, with 513 fours and 23 sixes. These are strong numbers, but they only show one side of his skill across different formats. In ODI, he has 6501 runs from 140 matches at an incredible average of 54. That average puts him in a very small group of elite batters from any era. When looking at Babar Azam stats, the conversation goes beyond the basic totals and into the moments where he actually rewrote the record books.
On 31 October 2025, he moved past Rohit Sharma’s 4231 runs to become the all-time leading runs scorer in T20 International, ending that series against South Africa with 4234 runs. Then, in February 2026, he overtook Virat Kohli for the most 50s in T20 Internationals after hitting 50 off 36 balls against Australia. These aren’t just small details; there are major milestones that change how Pakistani cricket is viewed compared to the world’s best.
From Lahore’s streets to the top of the world
Mohammad Babar Azam was born on 15 October 1994 in the walled city of Lahore. As the oldest of the three siblings, he got into cricket by watching his older cousins, Kamran and Umar Akmal. He did not have a shortcut to success; he walked his way through the ranks, starting with the under-15 in 2008 and leading Pakistan’s scoring in the 2010 and 2012 under-19 World Cup before moving into domestic cricket.
That steady progress paid off. He secured a permanent spot in the white-ball team after hitting three straight ODI hundreds against the West Indies in 2016, at just 21 years old. After that, records started falling regularly. By 2018, Babar Azam was the joint second fastest to 2,000 ODI runs and the fastest ever to 1,000 runs in T20 Internationals. These Numbers proved he wasn’t just a prospect anymore; he was a world-class player.
Between 2018 and 2022, Babar Azam had one of the best batting streaks Pakistan have ever seen in decades. He scored nearly 9,000 runs across all formats in those five years, more than anyone else in the world. In 2022, he was ranked in the top three globally for both Test and ODIs, scoring 1,184 runs in that year alone, including a massive 196 against Australia that lasted 10 hours.
A more complicated set of stats
Things got tougher after Pakistan’s 2023 ODI World Cup performance did not go as planned. His form dipped, and he managed only one Test 50 throughout 2023 and 2024, averaging just 21.36. By late 2023, he gave up the captaincy during a messy period for Pakistan’s leadership, even though he had been the country’s most successful captain across all formats since Imran Khan.
Babar Azam found his way back by focusing on his game. In November 2025, playing Sri Lanka at home, he broke a long century drought with his 20th ODI hundred. This tied Saeed Anwar’s record for the most ODI centuries for Pakistan and won him the player of the match award. It felt like a statement from a batter trying to show he still had it. By February 2026, Babar Azam had added a T20I fifty against Australia, giving him the world record for the most fifties in this format.
Sydney Sixers Babar Azam: A season that split Fans
When the Sydney Sixers signed Babar Azam in June 2025, Cricket Australia highlighted his massive star power. Their press release mentioned his 6 million Instagram followers and how one teaser video gained the Sixers 35,000 New followers overnight. Fans were genuinely excited to see him in the big bass.
However, the Sydney Sixers Babar Azam debut was a bit of a reality check. He made only two runs from five balls against the Perth Scorchers, and followed it up with 9 from 10 deliveries against the Adelaide Strikers. There was a brief spark when he shared a 140-run partnership with Josh Philippe in the Sydney Derby, scoring 58 off 42 balls. He followed that up with another unbeaten 58 on New Year’s Day to beat the Melbourne Renegades.
But those moments were rare. Babar Azam finished the BBL season with 202 runs in 11 games, averaging 22.44 with a strike rate of 103.06. That strike rate was the lowest ever recorded for a player, scoring over 200 runs in a BBL season. Mark Waugh was vocal about the struggle, even suggesting the Sixers should drop him for players like Daniel Hughes and Jordan Silk, who might fit the top order better.
He left Australia before the finals to prepare for a T20 series against Australia with the national team, which the PCB saw as a main rehearsal for the 2026 T20 World Cup. His BBL ended there, which was a tough but useful experience for his career.
Babar Azam wife
In Pakistan, almost nothing gets more attention on social media than the topic of Babar Azam wife. As of mid 2026, he is not married. Despite constant rumours on social media, there has been no news about an engagement or wedding. He keeps his private life very quiet, though his teammate Usman Qadir once said that he knew why Babar had not married yet, but would not say more.
The public is obsessed with the idea of Babar Azam wife because he is Pakistan’s biggest star. Fans have often linked him to actress Hania Amir, but neither of them has ever confirmed a relationship. Babar Azam has even joked about the constant questions. From the outside, it seems like he simply puts cricket first, which is a focus that has led to all the records he holds today.
What’s next for Pakistan’s record breaker?
In October 2024, Babar Azam became the fastest Asian batter to hit 11,000 international runs. Looking at his career path, it’s likely he will break several more records before he retires. Even if his BBL striker was low, the time spent in Australian conditions could be a secret weapon for the upcoming T20 World Cup in that country, provided he plays.
The full story of Babar Azam is about a batter who reached the top, hit a rough patch, and then worked his way back through pure discipline. His cover drive is still a fan favourite, and the record books are still being written.
Have you seen him play live? Whether it was a Test match, an ODI, or his time with the Sixers, we would love to hear it out in the comments. If you enjoyed this, look at his career, feel free to share it with other cricket fans!
