Babar Azam Sets New T20 Record with 12,000 Runs

Babar Azam Achieves Historic Milestone

On Thursday, Babar Azam, the prominent Pakistani cricketer, made history by becoming the fastest player to accumulate 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. This remarkable feat was accomplished during his 351st match in Karachi while representing Peshawar Zalmi in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) against Karachi Kings. He reached this milestone in just 338 innings.

Breaking Chris Gayle's Record

Babar's achievement surpassed the previous record set by the legendary Chris Gayle from the West Indies, who reached the 12,000-run mark in 343 innings. Gayle remains the all-time leading run-scorer in T20 cricket, while India's Virat Kohli ranks third, having taken 360 innings to reach the same milestone.

Key Moments in the PSL Match

During the PSL match against Karachi Kings, Babar needed only 13 runs to join the elite 12,000-run club in T20 cricket, achieving this in the fourth over of Zalmi's innings. With this accomplishment, he became the second Pakistani batter to surpass the 12,000-run threshold in T20s, following veteran Shoaib Malik, who holds the record for the most T20 runs by a Pakistani.

Outstanding Performance in the Match

Babar opened the batting for Peshawar Zalmi and finished with an impressive score of 87 runs off 51 balls, including 10 fours and 2 sixes. He formed a significant partnership of 191 runs for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis, helping Zalmi set a formidable total of 246 runs for 3 wickets in their 20 overs.

In response, Karachi Kings struggled to chase the target of 247 runs, getting bowled out for a mere 87 runs. The stellar bowling performance from Iftikhar Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Sufiyan Muqeem, each taking three wickets, played a crucial role in this outcome.