Most matches as Pakistan captain in Tests, ODIs and T20Is: Full all-format list as Babar Azam reaches new milestone

Most matches as Pakistan captain in Tests, ODIs and T20Is: Full all-format list as Babar Azam reaches new milestone originally appeared on Cricket News.
Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Babar Azam has reached 150 matches as Pakistan captain across all formats.
• He sits third on the all-time list behind Imran Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq.
• Babar remains Pakistan’s most-capped captain in the T20I format.

Most matches as Pakistan captain across all formats

The second Test between Pakistan and the West Indies gives the subcontinent side a chance for redemption. But for skipper Babar Azam, it signifies a very special milestone.

By being the captain for this match, Azam has entered an elite bracket of Pakistan leaders, joining the 150-match club as captain across the three formats. He now trails only Imran Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq on the all-time list, cementing his standing as one of the country’s most enduring modern captains.

The tally reflects his lengthy tenure at the helm from 2020 onwards, during which he led Pakistan in all three formats before stepping down and returning to the ranks. His T20I workload, in particular, accounts for the bulk of his matches in charge. Khan still leading the leaderboard signifies just how important his tenure as the skipper was.

From making Pakistan a side to be feared in Tests during his captaincy between 1982 and 1987 to returning for a final stint in 1988 and leading the side to their only ODI World Cup in 1992, he remains the gold standard for captaincy. Since his retirement, Pakistan has struggled with stable captaincy, with Misbah being the only captain to enjoy significant stability.

PlayerAll formatsTestsODIsT20IsImran Khan187481390Misbah-ul-Haq15156878Babar Azam150224385Wasim Akram134251090Inzamam-ul-Haq11931871

MORE: Arshdeep Singh apologises to Ashwin after placing India legend last in bowler rankings

Most matches as Pakistan captain in Tests

The red-ball leadership list is headed by Misbah-ul-Haq, who captained Pakistan in 56 Tests between 2010 and 2017. Imran Khan and Javed Miandad follow, with Babar Azam some way back on 22, a reflection of how much of his captaincy came in white-ball cricket.

PlayerTestsSpanMisbah-ul-Haq562010-2017Imran Khan481982-1992Javed Miandad341980-1993Inzamam-ul-Haq312001-2007Wasim Akram251993-1999

MORE: Bhuvneshwar Kumar breaks silence on India comeback after R Ashwin backs him for World Cup

Most matches as Pakistan captain in ODIs

Imran Khan leads the 50-over list comfortably, having captained Pakistan in 139 ODIs across a decade. Wasim Akram is next on 109, with Inzamam-ul-Haq and Misbah-ul-Haq level on 87 apiece. Babar Azam captained in 43 ODIs before relinquishing the role.

PlayerODIsSpanImran Khan1391982-1992Wasim Akram1091993-2000Inzamam-ul-Haq872002-2007Misbah-ul-Haq872008-2015Javed Miandad621980-1993

MORE: Abhishek Sharma scores 233 in 91 balls in district match

Most matches as Pakistan captain in T20Is

The shortest format is where Babar Azam reigns supreme. He captained Pakistan in 85 T20Is between 2019 and 2024, comfortably clear of Salman Agha and Shahid Afridi, underlining how central the format was to his leadership era.

PlayerT20IsSpanBabar Azam852019-2024Salman Agha502024-2026Shahid Afridi432009-2016Sarfaraz Ahmed372016-2019Mohammad Hafeez292012-2014

For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.