‘My Net Session With Him…’: Pietersen Jokes He Helped End Babar Azam’s Hundred Drought | Cricket News

Babar Azam celebrates after his century (Picture credit: AP)

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has said that his ‘net sessions’ with ace Pakistan batter Babar Azam helped the latter regain form and score his first international hundred after a gap of over two years, which he scored against Sri Lanka in their ongoing ODI series.

A day after Babar snapped his two-year hundred drought, Pietersen put up a playful post on his X handle. In the picture, the latter is seen standing next to Babar beside a bowling machine at a practice facility.

Pietersen paired the picture with a cheeky caption, taking credit for Babar’s match-winning hundred against Sri Lanka.

“My net session with @babarazam258 definitely helped him get his flow back and scoring 100s again,” Pietersen tweeted on Saturday afternoon.

Babar notched an unbeaten 102 for his 20th ODI hundred to help Pakistan overtake Sri Lanka’s 289-run target at Rawalpindi Stadium.

Walking in to a roar after Saim Ayub fell for 33 in the 10th over, Babar unfurled his trademark cover drives. He brought up his hundred with a pulled single off Pramod Madushan, lifted his bat to salute the crowd and bowed to the ground in celebration.

Babar had gone 33 ODI innings without a century and 82 innings in all, including Tests and T20Is.

Babar added a 100-run partnership for the second wicket with Fakhar Zaman, who scored an aggressive 78 with A six and eight fours to set up a successful chase.

Building on the platform, Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 51*, added another 112 for the unbroken third wicket partnership with Babar, hitting the winning single.

Babar cracked eight fours while Rizwan’s innings had a six and five fours.

“I was also waiting for my century, so I am thankful to the Almighty. It is more delightful that it has come in the team’s win,” Babar said.