Pakistan have made a solid start to their innings in the 2nd ODI against West Indies at Multan. Skipper Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat and has already put his team in a great position, courtesy a fabulous 120-run second wicket stand with opener Imam-ul-Haq. Babar joined forces with Imam after Fakhar Zaman was dismissed for 17 and the duo took the attack to the West Indies bowlers on a placid pitch almost immediately.
Both Imam and Babar have been in rich vein of form off late and the duo continued their dominance in white-ball cricket as they brought their respective fifties.
This was the sixth straight innings of fifty plus for both batters. Babar was on a streak of three centuries and could become only the second player since Kumar Sangakkara to score four centuries in a row in ODIs. But the Pakistan skipper was dismissed for 77.
Imam, who was eventually run out for 72 after a misunderstanding with Babar, now has scores of 56, 103, 106, 89, 65 and 72.
Both Babar and Imam have joined the likes of Mark Waugh, Gordon Greenidge, Andrew Jones, Mohammad Yusuf, Chris Gayle, Shai Hope, Paul Stirling, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson in the elite list of batters with 6 straight 50-plus scores in ODIs.
Pakistan batting legend Javed Miandad holds the record for the most consecutive 50-plus scores in ODIs. He had 9 straight score of 50-plus in the year 1987.
Babar Azam is in the form of his life and many expect him to match the heights that Miandad did during his career.