RAWALPINDI (Kashmir English): Pakistan captain Babar Azam has topped the Test batting average rankings for 2026, moving ahead of some of the world’s leading batters, including England’s Joe Root and Harry Brook and Australia’s Travis Head.
Babar has scored 405 runs in 10 innings at an average of 50.55 this year, making him the leading batter among players with at least 10 innings.
Harry Brook is second with an average of 46.50 from 558 runs in 12 innings, while Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim ranks third at 44.16. Travis Head and Joe Root follow with averages of 42.09 and 41.75, respectively.
Babar improved his record with a half-century on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. He scored 50 off 58 balls, hitting seven boundaries at a strike rate of 86.21.
Coming to the crease when Pakistan were around 90 for two, Babar added 69 runs with debutant Mohammad Taha. Sri Lankan pacer Dilshan Madushanka ended the partnership by dismissing Babar, with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis taking the catch.
Tayyab Arif and Mohammad Taha also made valuable contributions on their Test debuts, scoring 57 and 51, respectively. Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 57 at the close of play.
Despite leading the batting averages, Babar is still waiting for his first Test century since December 2022, when he scored his last hundred against New Zealand.
His latest knock was his fifth Test half-century of 2026, taking his run without a century to 41 consecutive innings.
Babar also crossed the 7,000-run mark in first-class cricket during the Rawalpindi Test.
