PAKISTAN cricket team captain Babar Azam is relentless in the pursuit of runs and continues his run of form against the Proteas.

In the first ODI against South Africa, the Pakistan captain managed to score 103 runs in a classy innings that saw his team out of the woods against South Africa after Fakhar Zaman fell early on.

Azam’s century puts him in a league of his own as the cricketer becomes the fastest batsman in the world to score 13 ODI centuries.

It took the Pakistan captain only 76 innings to score 13 tons in the 50-over format.

Hashim Amla, India’s Virat Kohli, and South Africa’s Quentin de Kock – his contemporaries – scored 13 centuries from 83 innings, 13 centuries from 86 innings, and 13 tons from 86 innings, respectively.

Azam is currently placed at number 2 in the ICC ODI batsman rankings. Kohli occupies the number one spot but, according to a cricket statistician, Azam can surpass Kohli to become the best batsman in the world in the 50-over format.

Meanwhile, Pakistan secured a last-ball victory over South Africa to win the first one-day international by three wickets on Friday.

Captain Babar Azam set the foundation for the visitors’ victory with 103 off 104 balls and Imam ul-Haq added 70 as Pakistan posted 274-7 in reply to South Africa’s 273-6.

Three quick wickets for Anrich Nortje pegged Pakistan back as their chase stumbled to 203-5 before Mohamed Rizwan and Shadab Khan put them back in charge.

They needed three runs from the final over with Faheem Ashraf scoring a single off a wide delivery for the win.

Earlier Rassie van der Dussen scored his maiden ton for the Proteas, finishing unbeaten on 123 at Supersport Park, Centurion.

The next match in the three-game series is in Johannesburg, today.