During the second ODI match between South Africa and Pakistan in Cape Town on December 19, 2024, Babar Azam became the first batter to reach a milestone that no one has ever reached in the history of this sport. He scored his 39th half-century against SENA countries in all game formats, breaking the previous record of 38 fifties held by the Indian legend, MS Dhoni.

Babar Azam’s New Record in Second ODI

Cricket is a sport where we see a lot of records being made and broken every day. However, some records are difficult to beat, and this was one such record. With this Babar Azam’s new record, Babar Azam became the batter to score thirty nine 50+ scores against SENA countries in all the formats of international cricket, surpassing the previous best of 38 fifties, by MS Dhoni.

It is always difficult to score runs against SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia), where the standard of cricket played is top-level. However, Babar Azam’s new record has now set a mark in the sport that will be difficult to reach by any other cricketer. Let us see how this happened and what was the result of the match.

How did Babar Azam Break MS Dhoni’s Record？

While batting first in the second ODI match of the series against South Africa, Pakistan star batter Babar Azam had to come to the crease in just the first over when the situation was extremely difficult to bat. However, Babar Azam thrived under pressure and played a fantastic knock under pressure to stabilise the team’s innings and give them a pathway to reach a big total. In his innings of 73 runs in 95 balls, the Pakistani batter never looked out of touch and batted beautifully against the African bowlers. The highlight of this inning was not the fact that he played well for the team or registered his 33rd fifty in the ODI format. The main talking point was Babar Azam’s new record, which he made by surpassing the record of MS Dhoni.

MS Dhoni held this record for the longest time, scoring a total of 38 half-centuries against SENA countries in all formats of the game. But the innings played by Babar Azam in the 2nd ODI match ensured this record was broken. In his fine knock against South Africa, Babar Azam scored seven beautiful boundaries and solidified his team’s scoreboard. He batted with a strike rate of 77 and was unlucky to miss out on a three-figure individual score. Pakistan vs South Africa 2nd ODI highlights is a must-watch if you want to see Babar Azam’s beautiful knock.

Pakistan vs South Africa 2nd ODI Highlights

In the second ODI, Pakistan overpowered South Africa, winning by 81 runs. Their win was largely attributed to Babar Azam’s outstanding knock, in which he displayed his class with an incredible 73 runs. The South African bowlers were left reeling after Azam put up a masterclass of exquisite strokeplay and timing. Mohammad Rizwan, who scored a fluid 80 runs, and Kamran Ghulam, who hammered a fast-paced 63, provided him with useful support. Pakistan reached a formidable 329 runs thanks to this solid base.

Related Match：ODI Series South Africa v.s. Pakistan 12/19 p.m. 05:30 IST

The Pakistani attack was difficult for the South African bowlers to stop. The bowling attack was led by Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, who rattled the opposition and made early breakthroughs. The South African batsmen’s scoring options were further limited by Abrar Ahmed’s mysterious spin, which kept them wandering throughout the innings. Heinrich Klaasen put up a heroic fight, scoring a bold 97 runs, but the South African chase never really got going. By keeping their line and length in check, the Pakistani bowlers were able to limit the hosts and ultimately win by a significant margin.

This record-breaking innings by Babar Azam, where he broke the record of MS Dhoni, ensured Pakistan won the second ODI match and also took an unbeatable lead in the series. After winning the first two matches of the three-match series, South Africa now cannot win the series, and it makes the third match a dead rubber. Pakistan vs. South Africa 2nd ODI highlights is something you as a cricket fan must watch and relive Babar Azam’s new record.