Pakistan captain Babar Azam continued with his rich vein of form in the second ODI against the Netherlands to lead his side to a series win on Thursday (August 28). Babar scored his eight half-century in nine ODI innings – stroking 57 off 65 balls to lead Pakistan to a seven-wicket triumph.

Throughout the innings, Babar crushed another gigantic ODI record.

Babar Azam has scored 4573 ODI runs after 89 ODI innings, breaking previous South African player Hashim Amla’s world record again for most ODI runs after 89 ODI innings. Amla had scored 4,539 ODI runs after 89 ODI innings.

Babar scored a strokeful 65-ball 57, while Rizwan finished 1,000 ODI runs in his 49th match en route to 69 not out as Pakistan achieved the 187-run focus in 33.4 overs. The two solid and trustworthy players had joined the act at the score of 11 for two and added 88 runs for the third wicket. Babar, who arrived at his 21st career half-century from 52 balls with six fours, struck seven fours, while Rizwan hit six fours and a six in an 82-ball innings. The wicketkeeper-batter had finished his first half-century in four matches from 72 balls with four fours.

The two had paired together after Fakhar Zaman found a leading edge as gotten by Vivian Kingma off his own bowling. Four balls later, Kingma excused Imam-ul-Haq, who was caught by Logan van Beek at point.

While Rizwan was innovative and brazen, as usual, Babar was elegant, effortless and alluring, as ever, hitting nearly everything from the perfect balance of his willow until he perished with a mishit off-spinner Aryan Dutt. The two batters ruled the proceedings all along and promptly moved the strain back on the Netherlands who were going for the gold after quickly removing the two openers.

Following Babar’s departure, Salman Ali Agha joined Rizwan and returned unbeaten on 50, his maiden half-century in his second appearance. Salman gave indications of ability and abilities when he played a few great strokes, including his main six that ended up being the winning shot that also presented to him his 50. He faced 35 balls and hit five fours and two sixes, and added 92 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket.

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Prior, the Netherlands chose to bat first and lost their first three wickets for eight runs and last seven wickets for 178 rushes to be bowled out for 186 in 44.1 overs. Haris Rauf and Mohammad Nawaz similarly shared six wickets among them conceding 16 and 42 runs, respectively, while Naseem Shah gobbled up two for 27.