Babar Azam Opens Up About His Cricket Journey

Babar Azam remembers his ball boy days [Source: AFP, IG]

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam recently led Peshawar Zalmi to the PSL 2026 title victory as captain. After the emphatic win, he posted a motivational message that revealed his humble beginnings.

The Zalmi beat the Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final held at Lahore. Kingsmen couldn’t put up a fight as they were bowled out for 129 runs in the first innings. Peshawar, meanwhile, chased down the total inside 16 overs to lift their second PSL title.

Babar Azam reminisces about his ball boy days

Meanwhile, after the PSL 2026 title victory, Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam posted a nostalgic collage on social media, tracing his rise from a ball boy at Gaddafi Stadium to an international icon.

The post, featuring images of Babar with young cricketers who served as ball boys, had a caption that said, “If I can, you all can.” 

The cricketer certainly meant to inspire youngsters by reminding them that humble beginnings are the stepping stones of future success.

Babar Azam's IG story [Source: IG]

Long before he became a superstar in Pakistan cricket, Babar Azam was part of the 2007 Test series between Pakistan and South Africa but not as a player. He served as a ball boy. 

Walking miles daily to the stadium, he watched and learned from global stars like AB de Villiers, while drawing inspiration from Pakistan greats Younis Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Years later, that same boy has evolved into Pakistan's greatest modern-day cricketer, amassing thousands of runs in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

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How did Babar Azam perform in the PSL 2026 final?

However, Babar Azam endured a huge failure in the PSL 2026 final against Hyderabad Kingsmen. Chasing a modest total of 130 runs, Babar went for an ambitious drive against Mohammad Ali.

However, the extra bounce deceived him completely as he got an outside edge that flew straight to wicket-keeper Usman Khan, who completed a regulation catch to send back Babar Azam on a golden duck.

That was Ali’s second wicket of the opening over, and suddenly, Peshawar Zalmi were two wickets down with just 8 runs on the board after the opening over of the second innings.

Regardless, Aaron Hardie and Abdul Samad rescued Peshawar Zalmi with an 85-run partnership to guide the team to an outstanding title victory.

What’s next for Babar Azam?

Meanwhile, with the conclusion of the PSL 2026 season, Babar Azam’s focus now shifts to international cricket. Pakistan is scheduled to face Bangladesh in a 2-game Test series from May 8, which is a part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. 

Hence, Babar Azam departed for Dhaka on May 5 and has joined the squad. He will soon begin practising with the rest of the team as he gears up for the red-ball assignment.

The first Test will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium from May 8 to 12, followed by the second Test at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 16 to 20.

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