If you are a cricket lover, then it is impossible that you don’t know about Babar Azam, the current captain of Pakistan National Cricket Team. From afar, his life seems so fascinating and luxurious to all of us, but little do we know of his struggles and how he made his way to playing both domestic and international cricket.
In this article, we will take you on a journey into the life of the right-handed batsman Babar Azam. We will discuss his family background, struggles, and hardships that led to him becoming a successful cricketer.
Babar Azam’s Family Background
Babar Azam was born in Lahore in a lower-middle-class family on October 15, 1994. His father, Azam Siddiqui, had a small stall in Lahore where he would repair people’s watches. All his income would be spent looking after his wife and four children, Faisal, Safeer, Babar, and Faariya.
Babar Azam is the cousin of the famous sibling trio Adnan Akmal, Kamran Akmal, and Umar Akmal. Therefore, he had always had a strong interest in cricket, and his journey started off playing street cricket.
Babar Azam’s Educational Background
Babar Azam studied in the ‘Ali Education System’ school in Lahore. He studied till grade 8 only. Due to his extreme interest in cricket, he dropped out of school and was admitted to a cricket academy.
The Early Struggles Faced By Babar Azam
Babar Azam was after a vision that seemed unachievable, but his spirits were always high. Belonging to a lower-middle-class family, fulfilling dreams was never easy for Babar Azam. But his father, Azam Siddiqui, stood behind him like a pillar and supported his son no matter what it took.
Ball Picker Boy
Just to get exposure, after lots of requests, Babar was allowed to be the ball picker in 2007 when the South African team toured Pakistan. There were two series that were to be played between Pakistan and South Africa, and Babar played the role of a ball picker boy throughout.
To fulfill his responsibility, he had to travel all the way to the Gaddafi stadium from Gulberg. His father would take him there on his broken bike and would sit outside in the heat until Babar did his duty in the stadium. Every time Babar received lunch during the match, he kept it safe and took it home for his family.
Shoe Struggle
After getting shortlisted for the under-15 trial cricket, Babar had to face some embarrassment. This was because he did not have the money to buy suitable shoes. He requested his cousin to lend him his shoes. His cousin straight up said no.
Getting The First Kit
Buying the first-ever cricket kit that included gloves, batting pads, pat, and other necessary gear was not easy for Babar and his family. All of it cost him around 4000 Pakistani Rupees. To fulfill the dream of her son, his mother paid for it from some of her savings.
The Start of Babar Azam’s Cricket Career
Domestic Level
Babar played cricket since he was just 13 years old, but he started playing at a domestic level after he turned 15. He first played for the team of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited against the team of National Bank Limited in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2010.
He played his first-ever T20 Match for Lahore Eagles, which was against the Hyderabad Hawks in the Faysal Bank T20 Cup in 2012.
International Level
One Day International (ODI) Career
Babar played his first-ever ODI against Zimbabwe in 2015 at Lahore and scored 54 runs.
After playing a total of just 21 innings, Babar had already made over 1000 runs. Later on, he became the fastest Pakistani Batsman who had crossed the 2000 and 3000 run mark.
In 2017, while playing his first international tournament, ICC Champions Trophy, Babar scored 46 runs, which greatly contributed to Pakistan winning the trophy.
Over the years, Babar consistently scored in the ODI and became the No.1 Ranked ODI Batter in April 2021, replacing Virat Kohli. Moreover, he also became the first Pakistani batsman to make three consecutive centuries.
After scoring a good 405 runs in just six innings, Babar Azam was included as captain of the ICC Men’s ODI XI of the Year.
T20I Career
After playing exceptionally in the long format, Babar also played in the short format. He played the first match against England, and Pakistan won the match.
Babar kept on scoring great targets while playing T20I, which made him the No.1 Ranked T20I batsman in the world, replacing Dawid Malan. Later, he was also chosen as the captain of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 XI.
But in 2022, he was a bit unfortunate, and his No.1 spot was taken by Muhammad Rizwan, the opening batter of the Pakistan National Cricket Team. But just a while after, he came back to his form and became the first Pakistani batter to make 2 T20I tons.
Babar Azam – The Captain of the Pakistan National Cricket Team
Babar Azam became the captain of the Pakistan Team in 2020 across all formats owing to his exceptional skills. After Imran Khan, Babar Azam became the second youngest to have the captaincy. Under his captaincy, Pakistan has played a total of 93 matches, which includes 24 test matches, 36 ODIs, and 33 T20Is, with a win percentage of 64.52%.
Babar Azam Awards
Babar Azam has won numerous awards, including
- Sitara-e-Imtiaz: 2023
- ICC Men’s Player of the Month: April 2021, March 2022, August 2023
- ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: 2021, 2022
- PCB Cricketer of the Year: 2021, 2022
- ICC Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy): 2022
- PCB T20I Player of the Year: 2019, 2021
- PCB Test Player of the Year: 2018
- PCB ODI Player of the Year: 2017
Conclusion
Babar has undoubtedly established himself as one of the best cricketers to play for the Pakistan team. His leadership skills and his scoring ability is surely an asset to the Pakistan National Cricket Team.
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