Babar Azam Sets Record with Single Dot Ball Century

Babar Azam has secured a unique milestone in T20 cricket during a Pakistan Super League (PSL) fixture, recording the fewest dot balls in a century of 50 balls or more. Representing Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta Gladiators on Sunday night, the opening batsman delivered an unbeaten 100-run performance from 52 deliveries, achieving a strike rate of 192.30.

A Statistical Masterclass in Strike Rotation

The hallmark of Azam’s innings was his remarkable efficiency in scoring off almost every delivery. Out of the 52 balls faced, he successfully scored runs from 51. The solitary dot ball occurred during the final delivery of the 14th over, where Azam opted to leave a short-pitched delivery from Alzarri Joseph clocked at 146.7 km/h.

His progression throughout the innings demonstrated a calculated escalation in aggression. After a steady start, scoring one run from one ball in the first over and seven runs from three balls in the second, he reached his half-century in 31 deliveries. Having previously recorded unbeaten scores of 87 and 71 in the current tournament, Azam maintained his momentum to reach the nineties in the final stages of the innings.

The century was completed on the final ball of the Peshawar innings. Standing on 98, Azam struck a delivery from Alzarri Joseph towards long-on, completing a diving second run to reach the three-figure mark.

Run Distribution and Scoring Analysis

The following table provides a detailed breakdown of the runs scored by Babar Azam during his 52-ball century:

Historical Context and Match Outcome

This performance marks Azam’s third century in the PSL and his 12th in the T20 format overall. In the global standings for T20 centuries, he remains second only to Chris Gayle, who holds the record with 22 hundreds. Despite recent scrutiny regarding his strike rate and a period of exclusion from the national side due to form, this innings serves as a significant statistical rebuttal.

Supported by Azam’s record-breaking contribution, Peshawar Zalmi posted a formidable total of 255 for 3 in their allotted 20 overs. Quetta Gladiators were subsequently dismissed for 137, resulting in a 118-run victory for Peshawar Zalmi. This win represents one of the most substantial margins of victory in the tournament’s history, underpinned by an innings defined by near-perfect ball-to-run conversion.