Babar Azam’s wait for an international century extended to 800 days after he fell for 29 in the opening match of the ODI series against Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, November 11. The Pakistan skipper managed three boundaries during his 51-ball stay before being cleaned up by Wanindu Hasaranga with a googly.
It is now 83 innings since Babar last reached three figures – a century scored during the 2023 Asia Cup against Nepal. In doing so, he equaled Virat Kohli’s record for most innings without a century in international cricket. Among Asian batsmen, Sanath Jayasuriya tops the list, ending a similar drought after 87 innings.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI Update
After being put in to bat, Pakistan suffered an early setback when Saim Ayub fell to Asitha Fernanda. Babar then joined Fakhar Zaman to rebuild the innings and add 54 runs for the second wicket. However, Hasarang’s brilliance once again shifted the momentum towards Sri Lanka as he broke the stand with the prized wicket of Babar.
BABAR FALLS AFTER A PROMISING START
Babar Azam’s innings against Sri Lanka was a brief display of class, timing and elegance – until a moment of magic from Wanindu Hasaranga brought it to an abrupt end. The Pakistan captain began to tap with typical fluency.
Facing Maheesh Theekshan, Babar got going with a pair of delightful boundaries – the first a sharp cut with the back of a short ball, the second a flashing slash over point that beat the fielder.
But after that smooth start, the scoring rate slowed down. The Sri Lankan spinners tightened the screws and forced Babar to rely on patience rather than power. When Janith Liyanage overshot, Babar broke his 25-ball drought with a beautifully timed straight drive to mid-off – a reminder of his class even in the midst of pressure.
However, just when it looked set to rebuild Pakistan’s innings, Hasaranga produced a gem. The leg-spinner produced a googly that got outside off and invited Babar forward for a defensive attack.
The ball took a sharp turn and crept through the wicket to clip the top of the off-stump – a delivery good enough to beat all the batsmen in the world. Babar stood stunned for a moment before walking back, leaving Pakistan in place.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
November 11, 2025
