Babar Azam shatters Kohli, Hashim Amla's feat to script blistering ODI world record during PAK vs NZ

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has shown unreal consistency in ODI cricket over the last two years. Since July 2021, in 16 innings, he has scored well over 1000 runs with 13 fifty-plus knocks which includes four hundreds. On Friday, Babar scored his 14th half-century plus knock, in the fourth ODI match against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi and with that scripted yet another blistering world record in the format as he shattered Virat Kohli and Hashim Amla's feat.

En route to his fifty, his third consecutive in the series, Babar reached the milestone of 5000 runs in his ODI career. And having completed the feat in just his 97th innings in ODIs, Babar became the fastest ever batter to 5000 runs, going past the previous record of 101 innings held by veteran South Africa batter Amla while both Kohli and Viv Richards had achieved the feat in their 114th innings. Australia's David Warner stands next in line with 115 innings.

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Last year, Babar had narrowly missed out on Amla's world record for 4000 ODI runs. He had reached the milestone on his 82nd innings, one more than Amla's feat.

Talking about the series, Pakistan have already claimed a win in the contest having won all the first three games. The won the first two matches in Rawalpindi by five wickets and seven wickets respectively and in Karachi they defeated the Black Caps by 26 runs in the third game. New Zealand are now in search of a consolation win in the fourth game. The final tie of New Zealand's tour, which had also included a three-match T20I series, will be played at the National Stadium in May 7.