The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday that Babar Azam, the ex-captain, and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi stood out as the top-performing cricketers for Pakistan in international cricket during 2023.
According to the PCB statement posted on X, Babar maintained his position as the highest run-scorer, while Afridi emerged as the leading wicket-taker for the team.
In November of the previous year, Babar Azam stepped down as the captain of Pakistan’s cricket team shortly after their early exit from the World Cup group stage. His performance remained subpar in the 50-over Asia Cup, World Cup, and the ongoing Test series against Australia.
Despite the challenges, Babar retained the top spot in the ODI batters’ rankings, amassing 1,399 runs in 35 matches throughout the year, featuring three centuries and 10 fifties. Following Babar’s resignation, Shaheen Shah Afridi took over as the captain of the Pakistan T20 team, having claimed 62 wickets in 30 matches with an average of 27.80 in 2023.
In the women’s team, former captain Bismah Maroof emerged as the leading run-scorer, tallying an impressive 624 runs from 25 matches in 2023, including three half-centuries.
