ISLAMABAD: In a moving social media post that has since gone viral, Pakistan’s star batter and newly-crowned PSL 11 winning captain, Babar Azam, reminded fans that dreams do come true.
Former national captain shared a nostalgic collage on his official Instagram account, juxtaposing his humble beginnings as a ball picker at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium with his latest triumph, lifting the Pakistan Super League trophy as the leader of Peshawar Zalmi on the very same turf.
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Babar’s emotional post featured a series of photographs showing him interacting with young cricketers and fans, alongside powerful captions such as “My motivation” and “If I can, you all can.”
Alhamdulillah, CHAMPIONS 🏆
So proud of my team, we stood together through everything. Hard work never goes unnoticed.
I was once a ball picker, standing on the sidelines, dreaming of moments like this. Now I wish, If even one ball picker today picks up a bat tomorrow believing… pic.twitter.com/baAAtXEqtE
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) May 4, 2026
The images highlight his transformation from a shy ball boy to the modern face of Pakistani cricket, emphasising a journey built on discipline and self-belief.
It is worth recalling that during the 2007 Test series between Pakistan and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium, a 16-year-old Babar worked as a ball boy, walking miles daily just to reach the venue.
On the boundary line, he would collect balls while watching his idols, AB de Villiers, Younis Khan, and Inzamam-ul-Haq, drawing silent inspiration that would later define his career.
Fast forward to 2026, and the 31-year-old has not only become one of the world’s most consistent batters, with 4,596 T20I runs, 6,501 ODI runs at an average of 53.72, and 4,366 Test runs, but he has also achieved a career milestone: lifting his first major trophy as captain by leading Peshawar Zalmi to the PSL 11 title.
Babar’s story continues to stand as one of contemporary cricket’s most powerful symbols of hard work and determination.
Babar also topped the PSL 11 batting charts with 588 runs, equaling the competition’s all-time single-season record jointly held with Fakhar Zaman.
