KARACHI: Star batter and Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam on Wednesday added another feather to his cap, becoming the fastest batter to score 10,000 runs in T20 format.
The opening batter achieved the feat in 271 innings breaking the record of West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle who reached the milestone in 285 outings.
Azam scored the 10,000th run today during the sixth match of the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) ninth edition played between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings.
The right-hander has represented 19 teams in T20 format, scoring 3,698 runs for the national side and 2,398 for the Kings.
He is also the only player who had scored over 3000 runs in the PSL and the 13th player overall to score 10,000 runs in the shortest format.
Gayle is on top of the list with 14,562 runs while Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik has made 13,159 runs.
The former Pakistan skipper achieved the milestone in 271 leaving behind West Indies great Chirs Gayle who reached 10,000 in 285 innings.
The Pakistani batter, who is also leading the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), made his T20 debut in 2012 and appeared for the Pakistan national team in 2016.
He also played a vital role in making Karachi Kings the champion of the PSL in 2020.
Azam led Pakistan to the final of the T20 World Cup final in 2022.
Before that Babar Azam etched his name into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) record books on Sunday, becoming the first batsman to cross the 3,000-run mark in the tournament’s history.
However, his individual brilliance couldn’t prevent his team, Peshawar Zalmi, from succumbing to a 16-run defeat against Quetta Gladiators in their opening match of the ninth season.
Chasing a challenging target of 207 set by Quetta, Azam led the Zalmi charge with a composed 68-run knock, reaching his 29th PSL half-century in the process. His innings included six fours and two sixes, showcasing his elegant strokeplay and ability to anchor the chase.
