DUBAI: In a historic achievement, cricket captain Babar Azam has been named to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Test team of the year, marking the first occasion a batting star from Pakistan has earned a spot in the prestigious lineup.
Throughout the calendar year, Azam amassed an impressive 1,184 runs in nine matches, with an average of 69.94. He also hit four centuries, one against each of the teams he faced.
In particular, his 196-run performance against Australia in Karachi in March was a standout and remains his highest individual score in Test cricket.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) celebrated the news on Twitter, noting that this was the first time Azam had been selected for the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year. He had previously been named to the one-day international (ODI) team of the year and was also named the captain of that team.
Babar Azam has been selected in the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for the fourth time since 2017 (second time as captain) and first time in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 🌟#ICCAwards pic.twitter.com/kqKKtvEDsc
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 24, 2023
The list includes players from several nations: four from Australia; three from England; and one each from West Indies, South Africa, India, and Pakistan.
The complete lineup includes Usman Khawaja, Kraigg Brathwaite, Marnus Labuschagne, Babar Azam, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Rishabh Pant, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Nathan Lyon, and James Anderson.
