Published on: Oct 13, 2025 05:09 am IST
Babar reached the milestone with his 23-run knock in the first innings, taking his total to 3021 runs in the championship’s ongoing cycle. This landmark makes him the first from Asia — ahead of cricketing giants Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — to cross the 3000-run barrier in the WTC era.
An Exclusive Record for Babar Azam
Since the inception of the World Test Championship in 2019, Babar Azam has been one of Pakistan’s most consistent red-ball performers. His 3021 runs have come in 37 matches and 67 innings, including 8 centuries and 18 half-centuries.
He currently ranks eighth on the all-time WTC run-scorers list, which is led by England’s Joe Root with a staggering 6080 runs in 69 matches. Following Root are Steve Smith (4278), Marnus Labuschagne (4225), Ben Stokes (3616), and Travis Head (3300).
Among Indian players, Shubman Gill leads with 2826 runs in 39 matches, while former Test stars Rohit Sharma (2716) and Virat Kohli (2617) fall just short of the 3000-run milestone before their retirements earlier this year.
A Short Stay at the Crease in Lahore
While the record made headlines, Babar’s stay at the crease was short-lived in Lahore. After playing some stylish strokes and hitting four boundaries, he was dismissed for 23 off 48 balls in the final session of Day 1. His dismissal came at a time when he looked set to convert a solid start into a big score — something he has been searching for in recent matches.
Pakistan, however, finished the opening day in a strong position at 313/5, with Mohammad Rizwan (62)* and Salman Ali Agha (52)* guiding the innings.
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Pressure Mounts Ahead of Second Test
With Pakistan facing a determined South African side, the upcoming matches hold added importance for Babar Azam, who will be eager to end his century drought and silence critics questioning his recent form.
Interestingly, both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were not part of Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, where Salman Agha led the team to the final before losing to India by five wickets.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny, Babar’s new milestone reinforces his place among the elite batters in world cricket — and establishes him as Asia’s most successful player in World Test Championship history.
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