Babar Azam 45 vs Sri Lanka: Passes 16,000 International Runs
Babar Azam is trending in Pakistan after his 45 off 57 balls against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series at Rawalpindi on Sunday, 18 October 2026. He looked set for a big score, but in the 20th over he pulled a short ball from fast bowler Eshan Malinga and was caught by Pavan Rathnayake at mid-wicket. During the innings he also became only the fifth Pakistan batter to reach 16,000 international runs.
Result update: Pakistan won by 37 runs, bowling Sri Lanka out for 268 in 48.1 overs. Babar Azam also held two catches (Janith Liyanage and Dasun Shanaka) and ran out Eshan Malinga. Salman Ali Agha was player of the match. Full details: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI 2026 scorecard.
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Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mohammad Babar Azam |
| Born | 15 October 1994, Lahore (turned 32 this week) |
| Role | Right-handed top-order batter, usually No. 3 in ODIs; occasional off-spinner |
| Current role | Pakistan Test captain (since 5 July 2026); senior batter in the ODI side led by Shaheen Shah Afridi |
| Score vs Sri Lanka | 45 off 57 balls, 18 October 2026, Rawalpindi |
| How out | Caught Pavan Rathnayake, bowled Eshan Malinga (pull shot, 20th over) |
| New milestone | 16,000 international runs, fifth Pakistani to get there |
| ODI hundreds | 20, level with Saeed Anwar for the most by a Pakistan batter |
| ODI debut | 31 May 2015 vs Zimbabwe |
| PSL team | Peshawar Zalmi (captain), PSL 11 champions in 2026 |
Babar Azam’s 45 against Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl first. Babar walked in at No. 3 after Saim Ayub fell in the fourth over, and Fakhar Zaman (16) was out soon after, so Pakistan were two down inside the first six overs.
Babar then rebuilt with debutant wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, and the pair added 74 for the third wicket before Malinga turned to the short ball. Babar went for the pull, could not keep it down and picked out the fielder at mid-wicket. Baig (39 off 40) fell to a Malinga bouncer shortly afterwards.
Salman Ali Agha then scored 107 off 90 balls to take Pakistan to 305 all out in 49.5 overs. Malinga finished with career-best figures of 4-46 and Asitha Fernando took 3-59. Sri Lanka’s chase of 306 was still in progress at the time of writing, so check our tri-series page or the PCB website for the final result.
Several reports after the match pointed out that the short ball has troubled Babar recently, including a bouncer from England’s Jofra Archer during the Lord’s Test in August. Pakistan’s next tri-series match is against England at Rawalpindi on 20 October.
16,000 international runs: where Babar stands
The 45 took Babar past 16,000 runs across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Before him, only Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Javed Miandad had reached this mark for Pakistan. A rough split of his runs by format after this match:
| Format | Runs | Hundreds | Highest score |
|---|---|---|---|
| ODIs (144 matches) | 6,671, average above 53 | 20 | 158 vs England (2021) |
| Tests | Over 4,700 | 9 | 196 vs Australia (2022) |
| T20Is | Over 4,500 | 3 | 122 |
On 31 October 2025 he passed Rohit Sharma to become the leading run-scorer in men’s T20Is.
Captaincy history: from all formats to Test captain again
His captaincy has changed several times since 2019:
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| October 2019 | Named Pakistan T20I captain |
| May 2020 | Appointed ODI captain |
| 10 November 2020 | Appointed Test captain, completing an all-format role |
| 15 November 2023 | Resigned as captain in all formats after the 2023 ODI World Cup |
| 31 March 2024 | Reappointed as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain |
| 1 October 2024 | Stepped down as white-ball captain to focus on his batting; Mohammad Rizwan took over later that month |
| 20 October 2025 | PCB named Shaheen Shah Afridi ODI captain in place of Rizwan; Babar continues as a batter |
| 5 July 2026 | Reappointed Test captain, replacing Shan Masood, before the West Indies and England tours |
In his first spell as Test captain (2020 to 2023) Pakistan won 10, lost 6 and drew 4 of his 20 Tests. His second spell began with a 1-1 draw in the West Indies, followed by a 3-0 defeat in England in August and September 2026. He missed the first Test at Leeds with a right-hand injury, when Salman Ali Agha led the side. Former players, including Wasim Akram, questioned his decision to take the job, but after the series Babar said he would carry on as Test captain.
ODI records and rankings
- Fastest to 5,000 ODI runs, in 97 innings.
- Joint-fastest to 6,000 ODI runs, in 123 innings, level with South Africa’s Hashim Amla (reached on 14 February 2025 in Karachi).
- 20 ODI hundreds, equal to Saeed Anwar’s Pakistan record. The 20th was an unbeaten 102 against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi on 14 November 2025, which ended a wait of more than two years for an international hundred.
- The only batter to score three hundreds in a row in ODIs twice (2016 and 2022).
- First became the No. 1 ODI batter in the ICC rankings in April 2021, ending Virat Kohli’s long run at the top. He was also No. 1 in T20Is from 2018.
- ICC awards: Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2021 and 2022, and ICC Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy) in 2022.
Babar Azam in 2026: form and selection
- T20 World Cup (February to March): Pakistan went out at the Super 8 stage. Babar was then left out of the ODI tour of Bangladesh in March, which Pakistan lost 2-1. Head coach Mike Hesson said the aim was to try younger players.
- PSL 11 (April to May): His best spell of the year, with a title as Peshawar Zalmi captain (details below).
- Australia ODIs (May to June): Recalled to the ODI squad. Pakistan won the home series 2-1, and Babar scored 125 runs in three innings.
- Tests (July to September): Took over as Test captain; 1-1 in the West Indies, then the 3-0 loss in England.
- October: Not picked for the T20I series against Sri Lanka, but named in the 15-man ODI squad for the tri-series. Before the opener, Shaheen Afridi called him the team’s main player and the backbone of the batting.
PSL career: Peshawar Zalmi captain
Babar played for Islamabad United in the first PSL season (2016), then for Karachi Kings from 2017 to 2022, captaining them in 2022. He moved to Peshawar Zalmi as captain in 2023, and Zalmi retained him in the Platinum category for PSL 11 at Rs 7 crore.
In PSL 11 he hit 103 off 59 balls against Islamabad United in the Qualifier on 1 May 2026 and finished the season with 588 runs, equalling Fakhar Zaman’s record for a single PSL season. He was out for a duck in the final, but Zalmi still beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on 3 May 2026. It was Zalmi’s first title since 2017 and Babar’s first as a PSL captain, and the PCB named him captain of its PSL 11 Team of the Tournament.
Related guides
- Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI 2026 scorecard
- Salman Ali Agha century vs Sri Lanka
- Pakistan Tri-Series 2026: schedule, squads and results
- PSL winners list (all seasons)
- More trending topics in Pakistan
- Official updates: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) website
Frequently Asked Questions
How many runs did Babar Azam score against Sri Lanka in the tri-series opener?
He scored 45 off 57 balls at Rawalpindi on 18 October 2026 before he was out in the 20th over.
Who dismissed Babar Azam?
Sri Lanka fast bowler Eshan Malinga. Babar pulled a short ball and was caught by Pavan Rathnayake. Malinga finished with 4-46.
Is Babar Azam still Pakistan captain?
He is the Test captain, reappointed on 5 July 2026. He does not captain the ODI side, which is led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, and he was not in the T20I squad for the October 2026 series against Sri Lanka.
How many ODI hundreds has Babar Azam scored?
He has 20 ODI hundreds, level with Saeed Anwar for the most by a Pakistani. His latest was 102 not out against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi in November 2025.
What is Babar Azam’s date of birth?
He was born on 15 October 1994 in Lahore, so he turned 32 three days before the tri-series began.
Which PSL team does Babar Azam play for?
Peshawar Zalmi, whom he captains. He led them to the PSL 11 title in May 2026.
