5 Pakistan batters with most runs in international cricket ft. Babar Azam
The Pakistan cricket team is synonymous with unpredictability. At the same time, they are also known for producing some amazingly talented cricketers. Courtesy of their gifted players, they have won the ODI World Cup (1992), the T20 World Cup (2009), and the Champions Trophy (2017), clinching all three ICC white-ball titles one time each.
Pakistan is renowned for producing some high-quality fast bowlers. From Imran Khan to Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis to Shoaib Akhtar, almost every era of Pakistan cricket has seen some brilliant pace bowlers coming to the fore. The tradition continues with the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi.
While Pakistan is known as a land of pacers, there has been no dearth of quality batters as well. Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, and Mohammad Yousuf are some of the finest batters the nation has produced. Most feature in the list of top five run-getters for Pakistan in international cricket.
Here's a look at the illustrious bunch of players.
#5 Babar Azam
Babar Azam currently occupies the fifth position on the list of Pakistan batters with the most runs in international cricket. In 292 matches [324 innings] so far, he has amassed 13772 runs across the three formats of the game at an average of 47.98, with 31 hundreds and 94 fifties.
Babar has featured in 52 Tests, scoring 3898 runs at an average of 45.85, with nine hundreds and 26 half-centuries. In the ODI format, he has played 117 matches and has notched up 5729 runs at an average of 56.72, with 19 tons and 32 fifties. The 29-year-old has 4145 runs from 123 T20Is, averaging 41.03 at a strike rate of 129.08, with three hundreds and 36 fifties.
#4 Javed Miandad
Batting legend Miandad is at number four on the list of Pakistan batters with the most runs in international cricket. Mianad featured in 357 matches [407 innings] in international cricket, totaling 16213 runs at an impressive average of 46.99, with 31 hundreds and 93 half-centuries.
The former Pakistan captain played 124 Test matches, scoring 8832 runs at an average of 52.57, with 23 hundreds and 43 fifties. His best of 280* came against India in Hyderabad (Sind) in January 1983. The 67-year-old also played 233 ODIs and scored 7381 runs at an average of 41.70, with eight hundreds and 50 fifties.
#3 Mohammad Yousuf
Versatile former batter Yousuf is third on the list of Pakistan batters who have scored the most number of runs in international cricket. Yousuf represented his country in 374 matches [426 innings] across the three formats and scored 17134 runs at an average of 45.81, with 39 hundreds and 95 half-centuries.
The former right-handed batter represented Pakistan in 90 Tests, scoring 7530 runs at an excellent average of 52.29, with 24 hundreds and 33 fifties. His best of 223 came against England in Lahore in November 2005. Yousuf also amassed 9720 runs in 288 ODI, averaging 41.71, with 15 tons and 64 half-centuries. The 49-year-old also played three T20Is, scoring 50 runs at a strike rate of 116.27.
#2 Younis Khan
Former captain Younis Khan features in the top two on the impressive list of Pakistan batters with the most number of runs in international cricket. Younis played 408 matches [491 innings] across the three formats and scored 17790 runs at an average of 39.88, with 41 centuries and 83 half-centuries.
A middle-order batter, he played 118 Test matches and notched up 10099 runs at an average of 52.05, with 34 tons and 33 fifties. Younis' best of 313 came against Sri Lanka in Karachi in February 2009. In 265 ODIs, the 46-year-old scored 7249 runs at an average of 31.24, with seven tons and 48 fifties. Younis also played 25 T20Is and scored 442 runs. He captained the 2009 T20 World Cup-winning team.
#1 Inzamam-ul-Haq
Another former captain, Inzamam tops the list of Pakistan batters with the most runs in international cricket. Inzamam played 495 matches [547 innings] across the three formats and amassed 20541 runs at an average of 43.51, with 35 centuries and 129 half-centuries.
The former middle-order batter featured in 120 Tests, scoring 8830 runs at an average of 49.60, with 25 hundreds and 46 half-centuries. His best of 329 came against New Zealand in Lahore in May 2002. The 54-year-old also played 378 ODIs and amassed 11739 runs at an average of 39.52, with 10 tons and 83 fifties. Inzamam played only one T20I, scoring 11 runs at a strike rate of 73.33.
(Note: All stats courtesy ESPNcricinfo)