The analysis below highlights the annual performance statistics and key milestones of Babar Azam’s prolific career in One-Day International (ODI) cricket.
Babar Azam ODI Runs Year by Year
| YEAR | RUNS | MATCHES | INNINGS | AVERAGE | 100s/50s | BEST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 230 | 7 | 7 | 38.33 | 0/3 | 62* |
| 2016 | 656 | 11 | 11 | 59.63 | 3/2 | 123 |
| 2017 | 872 | 18 | 17 | 67.07 | 4/2 | 125* |
| 2018 | 509 | 18 | 17 | 36.35 | 1/2 | 106* |
| 2019 | 1092 | 20 | 20 | 60.66 | 3/6 | 115 |
| 2020 | 221 | 3 | 3 | 110.50 | 1/1 | 125 |
| 2021 | 405 | 6 | 6 | 67.50 | 2/1 | 158 |
| 2022 | 679 | 9 | 9 | 84.87 | 3/5 | 114 |
| 2023 | 1065 | 25 | 24 | 46.30 | 2/10 | 151 |
| 2024 | 228 | 6 | 6 | 57.00 | 0/2 | 73 |
| 2025 | 544 | 17 | 17 | 34.00 | 1/3 | 102* |
| OVERALL | 6501 | 140 | 137 | 53.72 | 20/37 | 158 |
The Evolution of Babar Azam: Key ODI Insights
The career of Babar Azam in One Day Internationals can be clearly segmented into periods of consistent dominance and calculated aggression, followed by a recent spell of scrutiny.
Breaking Records: Fastest to 1000X Runs Milestones
Babar Azam’s early career was defined by his extraordinary pace in reaching major run milestones, establishing him as one of the fastest batsmen in ODI history.
| Milestone | Rank | Innings Taken |
| Fastest to 5000 runs | 1st | 97 |
| Fastest to 6000 runs | 1st | 123 |
| Fastest to 4000 runs | 2nd | 82 |
| Fastest to 2000 runs | 3rd | 45 |
| Fastest to 1000 runs | 4th | 21 |
| Fastest to 3000 runs | 5th | 68 |
Babar Azam holds the world record as the joint-fastest to 5000 ODI runs, achieving the feat in just 97 innings.
He also holds the world record as the fastest to 6000 ODI runs, reaching the milestone in only 123 innings.
His blistering start is further evidenced by his 2nd place ranking for the fastest to 4000 runs (82 innings) and 3rd place for the fastest to 2000 runs (45 innings).
Fastest to every 1000 ODI Runs
The Golden Era of Consistency: The Peak Years
Babar Azam’s ODI career hit a sustained sweet spot across several years, which firmly established him as a consistent run-machine.
In 2017, Babar announced his arrival, scoring 872 runs at a magnificent average of 67.07, punctuated by four centuries, setting the stage for his elite credentials.
He cemented his high-volume status in 2019 by breaching the 1000-run mark for the first time, accumulating 1092 runs at an excellent average of 60.66 over 20 innings. It is his highest career total in a single year.
The year 2022 showcased his peak efficiency, yielding 679 runs in just 9 innings at an almost unbelievable average of 84.87, highlighting a prolific conversion rate. This incredible form can be interpreted with his impressive centuries list against various opponents.
In 2023, he reaffirmed his role as the team’s anchor, crossing the 1000-run mark again with 1065 runs.
🔍 Dive deeper into consistency: See who holds the record for the most times 1000 runs in a calendar year in ODI history.
The Blazing Strike-Rate Years & the Recent Reversal
2020 was marked by explosive efficiency over a short schedule of 3 innings, averaging an astonishing 110.50 at a dynamic strike rate of 101.84.
In 2021, he maintained this high gear with a career-best ODI high score of 158 and an imposing 108.00 strike rate, proving his capability for pure domination when the team needed acceleration. Understanding how he bats against different bowling attacks can be seen by reviewing his ODI stats against each team.
In the recent years, along with his average, his strike rate has started to move downwards, going slightly below 90 in 2022 (90.8) and 2023 (84.7) and falling further below 80 in 2024 (74.7) and 2025 (78.4), showing a clear struggle in form and intent over the last couple of years.
The Recent Form Check: A Look at the Last Couple of Years
The current narrative points toward a recent dip, leading to increased scrutiny of his performance.
Year 2024: Although his average remained respectable at 55.50 over 6 innings, the volume was low, and his strike rate dipped significantly to 74.7, pointing to a cautious approach that generated fewer runs overall.
Year 2025 (In Progress): The current year presents a clear struggle for form and consistency, marked by a sharp decline in his average to 28.41 across 12 innings without scoring a century.
The dramatic drop in average from a peak of 84.87 in 2022 to the a below-30 number highlights a significant challenge in maintaining his elite run-scoring standard in the last couple of years.
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