Babar Azam has been named the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Player of the Month for August 2023. This marks his third time receiving this prestigious award, making him the first player globally to accomplish this feat.
Azam’s exceptional performance in August 2023 was instrumental in his winning the award. Despite experiencing a setback in the first One Day International (ODI) against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka, where he failed to score any runs, Azam quickly rebounded. He demonstrated his resilience by scoring two consecutive half-centuries, with a notable contribution of 53 runs in a thrilling last-over showdown in the second ODI. His performance, coupled with Imam-ul-Haq’s 91 runs and the lower-order batters’ contributions, led Pakistan to a nail-biting victory.
The Pakistani skipper continued his impressive form in the final ODI, contributing a crucial 60 runs that helped his team reach a commendable total of 268/8. This performance paved the way for Pakistan’s bowlers to secure a comfortable 59-run victory, resulting in a clean sweep with a 3-0 series win.
Azam’s extraordinary form extended into the ongoing Asia Cup. In the tournament opener against Nepal, he delivered a stunning performance, scoring 151 runs off 131 balls. This innings saw him achieve a historic milestone as he became the fastest player in the game’s history to reach 19 ODI centuries.
This century also marked his 31st across all formats for Pakistan, equating him with legends Javed Miandad and Saeed Anwar. He now stands just behind Younis Khan (41), Mohammad Yousuf (39), and Inzamam-ul-Haq (35) in terms of centuries for Pakistan.
Azam expressed his delight at receiving the award and acknowledged the extraordinary month he and his team had. He also expressed his joy at playing in front of the passionate cricket-loving crowds of Multan and Lahore during the Asia Cup, which returned to Pakistan after a long hiatus. Azam is looking forward to maintaining his form as they head into an exciting phase of cricket with the backend of the Asia Cup nearing and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup around the corner.
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