Planned the South Africa series that way, the mindset was to help the team to victory and get that No.1 ranking: Babar Azam
Babar Azam has admitted he was aware of the possibility of becoming the No.1 ODI batsman if he put together a few good innings. The 26-year-old conceded he was consciously trying to achieve the feat during Pakistan’s series against South Africa.
The Pakistan star dethroned Virat Kohli at the top of the ICC ODI batsmen rankings in April following a mesmeric series against South Africa. Babar Azam scored 228 runs across three ODIs, including a stunning ton in Centurion.
In an exclusive interview with Cricwik, he talked about how the milestone was on his mind when he took to the field against South Africa.
“It is a dream for every batsman to be World no.1 and be the top-ranked player. It was in the back of my mind that if I play a few innings and score big, I will get a better ranking. I planned the South Africa series that way, and my mindset was to help the team to victory and get that No.1 ranking if I play well. Thankfully after the innings at Centurion, I became No.1.”
Babar Azam’s match-winning 82-ball 94 in the third ODI helped him fetch 13 points, which was enough for him to displace Virat Kohli from the top spot.
The youngster is now nine points ahead of Virat Kohli, with Babar Azam on 865 points and the Indian skipper on 857.
“I never relax” – Babar Azam targets long stay at the top
With the feat, Babar Azam became just the fourth Pakistan batsman to be ranked No.1 in the world since rankings began, after Zaheer Abbas (1983-84), Javed Miandad (1988-89), and Mohammad Yousuf (2003).
However, the 26-year-old refused to rest on his laurels as he targeted long-term success in the format.
“It was a great feeling. The happiness is something else when you achieve one of your goals. Although I was very happy, I didn’t think it was time to stop since I have reached the milestone. All my performances become the past quickly, and I always try to be best prepared for the upcoming tournaments. I work doubly hard because even though I have reached a milestone, it takes even more effort to maintain that. My mindset is that I never relax, I believe in myself but also enjoy my time out on the field.”
Babar Azam will next get a chance to extend his lead at the top when Pakistan takes on England in a three-match ODI series in July.