Pakistan star batter Babar Azam achieved a historic milestone during PSL 2026 by becoming the fastest player to reach 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. The record came during the match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Babar played an excellent unbeaten innings of 87 runs from 51 balls and helped his team secure a huge victory. With this achievement, he surpassed legendary players like Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli in the race to reach 12,000 T20 runs.
Record-breaking moment in PSL 2026
Babar Azam entered the match needing only 13 runs to reach the 12,000-run mark in T20 cricket. He completed the milestone early in the fourth over of the match.
He eventually finished unbeaten on 87 runs from 51 deliveries, hitting ten boundaries and two sixes. His innings helped Peshawar Zalmi dominate the match and continue their strong run in the tournament.
The victory was also significant for Zalmi as it was their third win in four matches in PSL 2026.
Fastest players to reach 12,000 runs in T20 cricket
Babar Azam reached the milestone in 338 innings, making him the fastest player in T20 history to reach 12,000 runs.
Chris Gayle previously held the record, taking 343 innings to reach the mark, while Virat Kohli is third on the list.
| Rank | Player | Country | Innings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 338 |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 343 |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | India | 360 |
| 4 | David Warner | Australia | 368 |
This achievement further strengthens Babar Azam’s reputation as one of the most consistent T20 batters in the world.
Babar Azam among top Pakistani run scorers in T20 cricket
With this milestone, Babar Azam has also become the second Pakistani cricketer to cross 12,000 runs in T20 cricket.
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik remains the leading Pakistani run scorer in the format.
Pakistani players with most T20 runs
| Player | Matches | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Shoaib Malik | 557 | 13,571 |
| Babar Azam | 351* | 12,074* |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 306 | 8,918 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 334 | 8,631 |
| Mohammad Hafeez | 374 | 7,946 |
| Ahmed Shehzad | 257 | 7,011 |
| Kamran Akmal | 291 | 6,775 |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | 320 | 6,134 |
| Umar Akmal | 279 | 5,839 |
| Sahibzada Farhan | 169 | 5,220 |
Babar’s numbers highlight his consistent performance across international and franchise T20 competitions.
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Peshawar Zalmi dominate Karachi Kings
The PSL match turned into a one-sided contest after Peshawar Zalmi posted a massive total.
Babar Azam provided a solid foundation with his unbeaten 87, while Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis delivered an outstanding innings of 109 runs.
Mendis played aggressively, hitting 14 boundaries and four sixes as Zalmi finished with a huge score of 246 runs.
Peshawar Zalmi Batting Highlights
| Player | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 87* | 51 | 10 | 2 |
| Kusal Mendis | 109 | — | 14 | 4 |
Chasing a target of 247, Karachi Kings struggled from the start and failed to build any partnerships. The pressure of the huge target led to regular wickets.
Karachi Kings were eventually bowled out for just 87 runs.
Peshawar Zalmi Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Iftikhar Ahmed | 3 |
| Shoriful Islam | 3 |
| Sufiyan Muqeem | 3 |
The dominant victory improved Peshawar Zalmi’s net run rate and strengthened their position in the PSL 2026 standings.
Reaching 12,000 T20 runs faster than legends like Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli highlights Babar Azam’s remarkable consistency across formats and leagues.
At just 351 matches, he continues to build a strong legacy in the shortest format of the game.
If he maintains this form, Babar could soon challenge the highest run records in T20 cricket as well.
