Babar Azam strikes century after Sarfaraz Ahmed's 'make him bat 40 overs' sledge

Pakistan’s T20I captain Babar Azam experienced a challenging Test series at home against Bangladesh, in which the team suffered a 0-2 defeat. However, he made an impressive comeback on Thursday, scoring a century in the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup in Pakistan. This milestone was achieved in the same match where former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed appeared to mock Babar.

Babar recorded his century off 99 balls during the Champions One-Day Cup, as the Saud Shakeel-led Dolphins made a strong start. Openers Shan Masood and Yasir Khan set the stage with a 76-run partnership against the Stallions, who are led by Mohammad Haris. Following Masood’s dismissal, Babar stepped onto the field, igniting excitement among the home crowd in Faisalabad.

Shortly thereafter, Stallions wicketkeeper Sarfaraz, trying to motivate his team, was caught on the stump microphone saying, “No hurry, no hurry! Let them [the crowd] keep chirping ‘Babar, Babar.’ We’ll make him play 40 overs; all the others will get out.”

This comment quickly went viral on social media, with fans interpreting it as a jibe at Babar’s recent form and strike rate.

Nevertheless, Babar took control of the game post that moment, even as the Stallions lost wickets frequently. He reached his century in just 99 balls and finished with a total of 104 off 100 deliveries. Sarfaraz, meanwhile, contributed only five runs from 15 balls.

In addition to his impressive knock, Babar broke a record previously held by former India captain Virat Kohli. With this century, he achieved his 30th List A century in 180 innings, surpassing Kohli’s record by reaching the milestone in 19 fewer innings.

Babar’s unbeaten 104 helped lead the Stallions to a resounding victory over the Dolphins, winning by 174 runs after Jahandad Khan and Mehran Mumtaz each claimed three wickets, dismissing the opposing team for a mere 97 runs while chasing a target of 272.