LAHORE (Daily Point) — The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday that former captain Babar Azam and pace bowler Shaheen Afridi stood out as the top performers for Pakistan in international cricket during 2023.
According to the PCB statement posted on X, Babar maintained his position as the leading run-scorer, while Afridi excelled as the top wicket-taker for the national team. In November of the previous year, Babar resigned as captain following Pakistan’s early exit from the World Cup.
Despite a disappointing performance in the 50-over Asia Cup and World Cup, Babar’s struggles continued in the ongoing Test series against Australia. However, he held onto the top spot in the ODI batters’ rankings, accumulating 1,399 runs from 35 matches in 2023, featuring three centuries and 10 fifties.
After Babar’s resignation, fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi took on the role of captain for the Pakistan T20 team. Afridi had an outstanding year, claiming 62 wickets in 30 matches at an average of 27.80.
On the women’s front, former captain Bismah Maroof emerged as the leading run-scorer, amassing an impressive 624 runs from 25 matches, including three half-centuries in 2023. Nashra Sundhu was the top wicket-taker for Pakistan in international matches, securing 30 wickets in 24 matches with an average of 23.13.