During the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam reached a significant milestone by becoming the fastest player to score 12,000 runs in T20 cricket, overtaking West Indies legend Chris Gayle. This landmark was achieved in the match against Karachi Kings, where Babar reached the milestone in his 338th innings, surpassing Gayle’s previous record of 345 innings.
In a notable development, this accomplishment cements Babar Azam’s reputation as one of the most reliable and consistent batsmen in the shortest format. He is now only the 12th player in T20 history to surpass 12,000 runs and the second Pakistani to do so after Shoaib Malik.
Despite this achievement, Chris Gayle remains the highest run-scorer in T20 cricket, having amassed 14,562 runs across 455 innings. His West Indies teammate Kieron Pollard follows closely with 14,482 runs from 652 innings. England’s Alex Hales and Australia’s David Warner also feature prominently among the top run-scorers, with 14,449 runs in 423 innings and 14,121 runs in 434 innings, respectively.
The elite list of T20 run-getters includes contemporary greats such as Jos Buttler, Virat Kohli, Shoaib Malik, James Vince, Rohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, and Quinton de Kock, underscoring the high level of competition in this format.
Babar Azam’s feat highlights his exceptional consistency and durability in T20 cricket, reinforcing his status as one of the modern greats. Meanwhile, he recently addressed speculation regarding his batting position in T20s during an interview with Ramiz Raja. Babar clarified that his decision to open the innings in the current tournament was driven by team strategy rather than personal preference.
“This tournament, I’ll be opening the innings. This position suits me. There will be different opinions, but the best position for me is where the team needs me,” Babar stated, emphasizing his commitment to the team’s structure and success.
