Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed were at their stupendous best in the Asia Cup 2023 opening match against Nepal on Wednesday, August 30 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The duo made sure that Pakistan posted a massive target of 343 to chase down. In the last 10 overs, the Men in Green stepped on the gas to score 129 runs. Babar Azam showed his class and racked up 151 runs off 131 balls with the help of 14 fours and four sixes.

Iftikhar, on the other hand, stayed not out on 109 off 71 balls with 11 fours and four sixes. The duo came together when Pakistan were in a spot of bother with their score at 124 for the loss of four wickets in 27.5 overs.

Here are some of the records that Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed racked up:

1 – Babar Azam’s 151 is the highest individual score by a Pakistani batter in the history of Asia Cup ODIs. Younis Khan held the record earlier, having notched 144 against Hong Kong back in 2004 at SSC in Colombo.

2 – Babar Azam is only the second batter after Virat Kohli to get a 150-plus score in Asia Cup ODIs. Back in March 2012, Kohli scored 183 runs against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

1 – Babar Azam now holds the record of the highest individual score by a captain in Asia Cup ODIs after breaking Virat Kohli’s record. Back in February 2014, Kohli scored 136 against Bangladesh in Fatullah.

2– Babar Azam is now one century short of breaking Saeed Anwar’s record of most ODI hundreds by a Pakistani batter.

3– Iftikhar Ahmed now has the third-highest individual score by a No.6 or below batter in Asia Cup ODIs. Shahid Afridi (124 against Bangladesh in Dambulla in 2010) and Alok Kapali (115 against India in Karachi in 2008) hold the top two spots.

3– Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed’s partnership of 214 runs is the third-highest in the history of Asia Cup ODIs. Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed hold the record after their 224-run stand against India back in 2012 in Mirpur.

1-Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed’s partnership was the highest for fifth or below wickets in the history of Asia Cup ODIs