Babar Azam, the all-format skipper and outstanding hitter for Pakistan, won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for August 2023.
Babar Azam Player Month: Babar Azam, who now holds the top rank in the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings, continued to dazzle last month thanks to his great play, earning him the title of ICC Men’s Player of the Month for August 2023.
The award brought great joy to the Pakistani skipper as Babar defeated his colleague Shadab Khan and the hard-hitting Nicholas Pooran of the West Indies to win it for the third time.
Babar expressed his joy after being selected the ICC Player of the Month for August 2023.
“My team and I have put on some outstanding performances over the past month, which has been incredible. It was fantastic to play in front of the fervent and cricket-crazy crowds of Multan and Lahore with the Asia Cup finally visiting Pakistan after such a long time. The excitement was doubled because I achieved my second ODI score of 150+ at Multan in front of my own people.
“As we enter an exciting period of cricket with the Asia Cup’s conclusion and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup rapidly approaching, I am looking forward to capitalising on the current form. We are excited to spread joy and happiness to Pakistan’s millions of supporters, together with my crew.
The veteran Pakistani player had a standout month in Asia, dominating in the 50-over format.
Babar suffered a rare setback by failing to score any runs in the opening ODI of a bilateral series in Sri Lanka against Afghanistan.
He swiftly recovered, though, showcasing his tenacity with two back-to-back fifties. The second ODI had a standout moment when Imam-ul-Haq and the Pakistan skipper combined for a crucial 118 runs, paving the way for a thrilling last-over contest.
“Babar Azam’s Stellar Performance: A Record-Breaking Journey”
Imam’s 91 runs and the lower-order hitters provided solid support for Babar’s 53 runs throughout the run-chase. With one ball remaining and one wicket remaining, Pakistan secured a thrilling victory.
He then added another critical 60, helping his team win the final ODI with a magnificent total of 268/8. Excellent bowling from Pakistan allowed them to win by a margin of 59 runs and sweep the series 3-0.
Babar’s outstanding play continued after the series concluded, as he had a strong debut in the ongoing Asia Cup. He put on an amazing display in the tournament opener against Nepal, scoring 151 runs off 131 balls.
The Pakistan captain became the player to reach 19 ODI century the fastest in the history of the game during this innings, setting a new record.
His 31st century for Pakistan across all formats puts him on pace with superstars Saeed Anwar and Javed Miandad. In terms of centuries for Pakistanis, he currently ranks only after Younis Khan (41) Mohammad Yousuf (39), and Inzamam-ul-Haq (35)