Watch: Video Claims Pakistan Captain Babar Azam's 'Wonder Boundary' vs Sri Lanka Was No Fluke

27.07.2023 - 07:07 sports.ndtv.com

Pakistan enjoyed a good day in the field against Sri Lanka on the third day of the second Test in Colombo. Opener Abdullah Shafique's maiden double century and an unbeaten 132 by Agha Salman put Pakistan in the box seat.

The tourists reached 563-5 at stumps, leading Sri Lanka by 397 runs in their first innings at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club.

Salman and concussion substitute Mohammad Rizwan, on 37, were batting in an unbeaten stand of 95 after Shafique's departure on 201.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam added 11 to his overnight 28 before being trapped lbw, with the decision upheld by the third umpire after review.

cricket Sri Lanka Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team watch Babar Azam Sri Lanka Pakistan

Pakistan national men's selection committee on Wednesday named the squads for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan and the Asia Cup 2023. The announcement came as a surprise for many fans as Shan Masood and Ihsanullah have been dropped from the side. Apart from them, another exclusion that left everyone utterly shocked was of batter Saud Shakeel, who has not been included in the Asia Cup squad. Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal came in support of Shakeel and stated that the 27-year-old batter has the potential to reach the level of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam.

With Babar Azam's Pakistan Captaincy Under Scrutiny, Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq Makes Insightful Comment

Pakistan batter Babar Azam has faced scrutiny over his captaincy during a disappointing home season however, Pakistan Cricket Board chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq on Wednesday said that the top-ranking batter in ODI is performing well as a captain, it would be prudent to have a backup captaincy option available. In December 2020 Babar was named Pakistan's captain across all formats. Babar Azam is a name that quickly springs to mind when conversations revolve around the world's premier batters at present. With his graceful style of play, he has been consistently amassing runs, leading to comparisons with cricket legends, including the esteemed Indian player Virat Kohli.

"Love Him, Want To Marry" Babar Azam: Former PCB Chief Ramiz Raja Breaks Internet With On-Air Comment. Watch

Babar Azam is to Pakistan cricket what Virat Kohli is to India. He is easily Pakistan's most talked about cricketer in recent times. His top rankings in ICC charts justifies his popularity. With the World Cup fast approaching, Babar Azam's form will be closely watched. The Pakistan captain is currently featuring in the Lanka Premier League 2023. He has been in great form for Colombo Strikers. He recently hit a match-winning hundred which made him only the second player after Chris Gayle to hit 10 T20 centuries.

Watch: Getting Late For Prayers, Babar Azam's Gesture After Lanka Premier League Game Goes Viral

Babar Azam is currently taking part in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 in Sri Lanka and he has been a top performer for his side Colombo Strikers. The Pakistan cricket team skipper earlier revealed that he plans to get ready for the Asia Cup by playing in Sri Lankan conditions and his showing has been quite impressive till now. Babar scored a brilliant century and stitched together a 111-run partnership with Niroshan Pathum Nissanka to guide his team to victory. However, it was his act after the match that has gone viral on social media. In a video, he can be seen asking the organisers to quickly conduct the interviews as he was getting late for his prayers.

'Used To Choke Against India But...': Ex-Pakistan Captain Fires "World Cup" Warning To Rohit Sharma And Co.

After losing 12 matches on the trot, Pakistan finally ended its streak of losing to India in World Cups during the T20 World Cup in the UAE in 2021. Openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan helped Pakistan win by 10 wickets after the bowlers had laid the foundation with a strong performance. Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis has revealed that pressure was never a concern for the high-octane clash against India, adding that the team used to choke against their arch-rivals at ICC events.

Shubman Gill Shatters Babar Azam's All-Time Record In 2nd ODI Against West Indies

The Indian cricket team went down to West Indies in the 2nd ODI on Sunday after a catastrophic batting collapse saw the team score only 181 runs. India's defeat in the match left a sour taste in the mouths of fans, especially considering the opening stand that Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan had put. In fact, during the course of his 34-run knock in the match, Gill went on to break Pakistan superstar Babar Azam's long-standing record.