Babar Azam Glad After Inclusion In The ICC ODI Team Of The Year 2019

Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam has found his place in the ICC ODI Team of the Year for a second time after 2017. Babar is the only Pakistani player to be a part of the squad. Babar is only the eighth Pakistani player to feature in the ICC ODI Team of the Year. Babar smashed various records in 2019 and was the star player of the team.

Babar rightfully deserved to be in the team as he scored a total of 1092 runs in 20 ODIs that he played during the year. He had a brilliant average of 60.66 in 2019 in ODIs. He became the leading run-scorer for Pakistan in a single edition of the World Cup in his maiden World Cup tournament scoring 474 runs. He currently sits at third position in the ICC ODI Batsman Rankings.

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Babar Azam Delighted After The Inclusion

Post the announcement of his inclusion in the ICC ODI Team of the Year, Babar is extremely ecstatic. “I will reserve my biggest gratitude to my team-mates and fans as without their support this would not have been possible,” said Babar in a press statement. He added, “I am thankful to the ICC and its jury for recognizing my achievements with the bat in 2019 and considering me worthy of a place in the side that includes some of my favorite cricketers who entertained the fans throughout the year with their outstanding performances.”

Babar Azam became the eighth Pakistani player to make it to the ICC ODI Team of the Year since its inception in 2004. Before him, Inzamam-Ul-Haq, Rana-Naved-ul-Hasan, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Mohammed Hafiz, and Hasan Ali are the players that have feature in team previously. Babar is looking forward to another grat year as he eyes to achieve a lot in 2020. He said, “The year 2020 has started well for Pakistan cricket and we as a team look forward to building on it so that at the end of the year, there are more of us when the ICC announces the next set of winners same time next year.” 

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