Australian great Rickey Ponting has warned that the best of Babar Azam is yet to come, as the batter bagged two major ICC awards for his outstanding 2022.

Babar won both – the ODI cricketer of Year and the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy – at the ICC awards, beating competitive fields in both categories.

“Technically, he’s very good,” said Ponting, while speaking to the ICC Review. “Babar Azam’s still got a bit of improvement to come which is a pretty scary thought with what he’s been able to do across all formats over the last 3 or 4 years. I love watching him play. I think there’s some room for improvement, let’s hope we see it.”

The prolific batter scored eight hundreds and 17 fifties during the calendar year – which was his best performance in the year to date.

For many, those figures would be the ceiling but Ponting thinks there’s more to come.

“He’s probably not (at his peak),” he said. The ICC hall of Famer believes that he would reach his prime in his early 30s.

“Most batters come into their prime in the start of their early thirties,” he said. “You’re sort of working on your game and improving your game right through to a certain point. And that for most guys is it. You look at where Steve Smith and (David) Warner and those guys have been. Steve Smith is probably playing as well as he’s ever played now, along with guys like Kane Williamson as well in their early thirties.”

He went on to add that Babar would be one of the best from Pakistan when he hangs up his boots.

“By the time Babar Azam has finished, his numbers will stack up along with the very best Pakistan has produced.”