LAHORE: Pakistan’s star batter and Peshawar Zalmi captain, Babar Azam, has made history by becoming the first player to feature in 100 matches in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He reached this milestone during Zalmi’s clash with Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Over the years, Babar has represented Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, and now Peshawar Zalmi, consistently proving his mettle as one of the league’s standout performers. His closest competitors in terms of appearances include Imad Wasim (98 matches) and Fakhar Zaman (94 matches).
A graceful response to criticism, Despite his immense success, Babar has recently faced scrutiny over his form , However, the 29 years old has handled criticism with characteristic humility and maturity, speaking to the media in Lahore, he said:
“Everyone knows how to respond, including me, but self-respect matters. I was raised to respect others, no matter what. That’s what my elders taught me.”
Acknowledging the pressure that comes with expectations, Babar said he understands fans want him to stay longer at the crease and deliver big innings:
“People enjoy watching me bat and have high expectations. I enjoy short innings too, but sometimes I can’t meet those expectations. I make mistakes and try to learn from them. At times, new mistakes happen — that’s part of cricket.”
Babar admitted that translating confidence from practice sessions into match performances has been a challenge recently:
“In the nets, I feel confident, but I haven’t been able to carry that into matches. I always try to give my 100%, but sometimes things don’t go as planned.”
“When fans are disappointed, I feel that too. Often what you plan doesn’t unfold on the field — that’s cricket.”
Despite the ups and downs, Babar remains focused and committed to improvement. His journey to 100 PSL matches is not only a testament to his consistency but also to his resilience and character in the face of criticism.
As he moves forward, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely, hopeful that one of Pakistan’s greatest modern batters finds his rhythm once again.
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