Lahore: Pakistan captain Babar Azam made history on Sunday, October 12, 2025, by becoming the first cricketer from Asia to score 3000 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC). The right-handed batter achieved the milestone during the first Pakistan-South Africa Test at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, hitting a four off Senuran Muthusamy in the 49th over.
Historic Achievement
Babar’s 3003* runs in 37 WTC matches place him among the elite global batters. Before him, only seven players worldwide – including Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Zak Crawley – had reached this landmark.
The milestone came despite Babar missing selection for the Asia Cup 2025, highlighting his consistency and dominance in Test cricket.
Performance in the Match
Babar walked out at No. 4 after Shan Masood’s dismissal, scoring 76 runs off 147 balls, with nine fours and one six. He shared a 161-run partnership for the second wicket with Imam-ul-Haq, who was on 88 at the end of 55 overs.
Leading Asian WTC Run-scorers
- Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 37* matches, 3003* runs
- Shubman Gill (India) – 39* matches, 2826 runs
- Rishabh Pant (India) – 38 matches, 2731 runs
- Rohit Sharma (India) – 40 matches, 2716 runs
- Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka) – 35 matches, 2642 runs
Among Pakistani batters, Mohammad Rizwan follows Babar with 2194 runs, while Shan Masood has 1663 runs in 28 matches.
Conclusion
Babar Azam’s feat cements his place among the top Test batters globally and showcases Asia’s growing dominance in world cricket. His consistency in the WTC continues to inspire young cricketers across the continent.