Babar Azam became the fastest Pakistani batsman to reach 12000 runs in international cricket during the first One-Day International (ODI) against New Zealand on Thursday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

When asked about his achievement and how excited he was, Babar Azam humbly replied that he has never focused on individual milestones.

“I have never focused on individual milestones. My focus has always been to deliver for the team and give such performances that win matches for my team. When you play with that goal, you achieve milestones along the way,” the skipper said.

Stating that a player’s aim should always be to give impactful performances, Azam credited the milestones as, “byproducts of that mentality.”

The captain of the team emphasized that he does not have any personal ambitions. “What I want is to strive for the country’s success. I have never focused on achieving one record or the other. These things come with performance. But my main aim has always been to win the matches and tournaments for the country and make my performance count,” he added.

When asked about Fakhar Zaman’s compliments on his and Mohammad Rizwan’s accomplishments for Pakistan, Azam responded that Zaman’s words were indicative of genuine team camaraderie.

“What Fakhar has said is a reflection of our team culture. We back and encourage each other. We spend time with each other a lot more than we do with our families and to become a well-bonded unit, it is important to stand by your teammates and enjoy each other’s success. We back each other in an effort to get the best results for the team and for the country,” he said.

The second ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand will take place on Saturday at Pindi Cricket Stadium.