ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s all-star batter Babar Azam will be conferred with the country’s third-highest civilian award Sitara-e-Imtiaz on March 23.
With the conferment of the award, Babar Azam would become the youngest person to be awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz award at the age of 28 for his achievements in the field of sports.
Earlier, former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed held the record as the youngest person to be awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz award.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, who led Pakistan to the Champions Trophy title in 2017, was conferred with the prestigious award by then Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair in 2018.
Last year on August 14, the federal government announced that it would be conferring Babar Azam with the country’s third-highest civilian honour.
Cricket greats who received Sitara-e-Imtiaz
Babar will be taking a break from cricket to attend the ceremony, as he will not be participating in the series against Afghanistan, which is scheduled to start on March 24.
Apart from Babar Azam and Sarfaraz Ahmed, other cricketers that have received the award include Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Shahid Afridi for their outstanding achievements.
While batter Mohammad Yousuf received the award in 2011, majestic spinner Saeed Ajmal in 2015, former skipper Inzamam ul Haq in 2005 and legendary Javed Miandad in 1992.
