In the recently concluded World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-2023, Pakistani cricket captain Babar Azam has achieved an impressive ranking. With an average of 69.10 in 20 innings, Azam secured the fourth position in the batting chart, surpassing India's Virat Kohli and Australia's Steve Smith.
The winner of the WTC, Steve Smith, holds the second-best average of 55.40 in 30 innings, with six fifties and four centuries to his name. England's Joe Root ranks third with an average of 54.20 in 34 innings, including eight fifties and six centuries.
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| Baber Azam Leads ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Ranking, leaves KOhali, Smith behind |
Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews, with an average of 48.40 in 16 innings, featuring two fifties and two centuries, also made a notable contribution. On the other hand, Virat Kohli had the lowest average among the top five batsmen, scoring at an average of 34.65 per match with three fifties and a century.
In the WTC final, held on June 11, Australia emerged as the champions, defeating India by 209 runs. India, chasing a target of 444 runs, were bowled out for 234 runs in their second innings on the fifth day of the match.
Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, who has worked with the Pakistan team as a batting mentor, praised Babar Azam as one of the modern-day greats. Hayden mentioned that players like Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, and Babar Azam are once-in-a-lifetime talents and considered them the generation's top cricketers.