According to the Cambridge online dictionary, a hero is someone is admired for his brave actions or has done a great deed while Oxford dictionary says it is a person admired for courage, achievements or noble qualities.
“A person who is admired for having done something very brave or having achieved something great.” -
“A person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.”
For cricket fans, gurus and legends, Pakistani batsman Babar Azam's performance in the match against New Zealand was something similar.
Who is Babar Azam?
Hailing from Lahore, Babar started his career in 2015. The young right-handed batsman has quickly climbed the ladder to one-down position in the Pakistan's batting line-up.
He has so far scored 10 centuries, 14 fifties in 70 ODIs at an average of 52.96.
In 21 tests he has scored 1,235 runs at an average of 35 while in T-20s the young maestro has scored 1,247 runs at an average of 54.21 runs.
Pakistan's Babar Azam celebrating fifty against South Africa in 2019 Cricket World Cup match. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Source: AP
How Babar Azam defied the pitch, the bowers and all odds in Pakistan vs New Zealand match
Azam came to bat when Pakistan was one down at a score of 19 runs.
Playing second the green shirts were chasing a target of 237 runs against a side which had yet to lose a match in the World Cup, but also on a wicket that troubled even the best Kiwi batsmen throughout the day.
Pakistan played their pool match against New Zealand. The Kiwis made 236 runs on a pitch favouring bowlers.
Azam started his innings in a typical ‘Babar-style’ classical batting scoring boundaries through covers.
With Imam ul-Haz Azam made a short partnership of 25 runs before the left-handed opener fell to a quick bouncer by Kiwi bowler Lockie Ferguson.
Next came the experienced batsman in the squad, Mohammad Hafeez. With him, Babar steadied the Pakistan innings and crossed the 100-runs mark for the team.
So far in the World Cup, Azam has scored 333 runs.
22 runs - West Indies
63 runs - England
30 runs - Australia
48 runs - India
69 runs - South Africa
101* runs - New Zealand
It seemed the green shirts had come out of trouble, but a mistimed short by Hafeez lost him his wicket. Azam and Hafeez made a good partnership of 66 runs.
But another 130 runs had still to be made and with the pitch providing grip, spin and bounce to the Kiwi bowlers, suddenly a standard chase became an uphill task.
Sitting in the lower part of the points table with just 5 points, Pakistan went to play a ‘do-or-die’ match against the Kiwis.
Pakistan's batsman Babar Azam, front, watches his shot as New Zealand's wicketkeeper Tom Latham, right, with teammate Ross Taylor in Birmingham, England, Wednes Source: AP
Pakistan so far had lost 3 matches while won only two.
With great bowling conditions and a must-win match, Azam continued playing his strokes around the ground.
The new addition in the playing team Haris Sohail, who had just scored a matching winning 89 runs against the Proteas, turned out to be a blessing against Pakistan.
The left-handed batsman continued his performance with the bat, where he left in the last innings.
Even though the run rate of near 6 runs per over started to creep in, Azam continued playing shots the way he started his innings.
Even when the Kiwi spinner Mitchell Santner who intimidated the batsmen in his first seven overs couldn’t stop the defiant Pakistani batsmen to continue scoring.
Pakistan's batsman Babar Azam, at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, June 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) Source: AP
Azam blasted two consecutive boundaries off Santner’s first two balls resulting in a 12 runs over.
Pakistan crossed the 200-runs mark in the 42nd over.
Azam finally scored his century via a single over the deep cover and giving Pakistan the chance to achieve victory.
Winning runs were scored by Captain Sarfraz Ahmed in the last over of the match.
Azam was awarded ‘player of the match’ award for his stellar performance on a cricket pitch that caused all sorts of problems throughout the day for batsmen.
Pakistan's captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, left, embraces teammate Babar Azam at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham, England, June 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) Source: AP
With this performance, he also became the second youngest Pakistani player to score a ton in the global tournament, after former cricketer Salim Malik.
This was his 10th century for Pakistan in seventy matches.
Cricket fans, gurus, players, and pundits from around the world has admired the 24 year old’s performance filled with courage, defiance and something to be considered as a ‘heroes’ deed.
