Babar Azam Reveals the Toughest Bowler He Has Ever Faced

Published On: January 22, 2026

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has revealed the fastest and most challenging bowlers he has faced in his career, highlighting former South African pacer Dale Steyn as a particularly tough opponent.

Babar shared his thoughts in a challenge video on former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen’s YouTube channel, The Switch, where he also participated in a short-ball challenge.

Facing Fast Bowlers in Modern Cricket

When asked about his toughest battles against fast bowlers, Babar said that most teams today have bowlers who can regularly bowl above 150 km/h. He recalled his first tour of South Africa, where he faced Dale Steyn, whose pace and precision made the innings a real challenge.

He added that after playing against Steyn, one of the fastest bowlers in the world, he felt confident about handling any bowler. Babar also praised Kagiso Rabada, calling him “one of the finest bowlers across formats,” including Tests and ODIs.

Babar Azam’s Career Highlights

Babar Azam is widely regarded as one of the most dominant batters in T20 cricket:

All-time leading T20I run-scorer: 4,429 runs in 136 matches
Batting average: 39.54
Strike rate: 128.45
Most T20I half-centuries: 38 (joint record with Virat Kohli)

Recently, Babar made his Big Bash League debut for the Sydney Sixers in the 15th edition, scoring 154 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 104.05, including two half-centuries.

Babar’s experience against world-class fast bowlers like Steyn and Rabada continues to inspire fans and young cricketers across Pakistan and the world.