Babar Azam at 30 — Still Searching for a World Cup
Pakistan's finest batter since Zaheer Abbas has the numbers but not yet the trophy. What will define his legacy?
There are batters who define eras and batters who define matches. Babar Azam has done both in a career that has produced numbers only Virat Kohli's ODI record can match for sustained excellence in the modern game.
At 30, he averages 57.42 in ODIs, 45.48 in Tests, and 39.65 in T20Is. He has 31 ODI centuries, 10 Test tons, and a T20I strike rate that, while criticised in the past, has climbed to 141 in the last 18 months.
What he does not have is a world title.
The 2021 T20 World Cup
Pakistan went unbeaten in the group stage. They were the tournament favourites. They lost the semi-final to Australia by five wickets — Babar bowled first-change for tactical reasons that confused everyone in the ground — and were eliminated.
2022 and 2023
Semi-final defeats in both editions. In three World Cups across formats, Pakistan have not reached a final with Babar at the top.
Why It Matters
Pakistan cricket has always been measured in trophies first, performances second. Imran in 1992. Wasim's swing. Those moments outlive statistics. Babar must find one to secure a legacy that his career averages alone cannot guarantee. The 2027 50-over World Cup, at 31, may be his last realistic opportunity.