In Twenty20 cricket, Babar Azam became the fastest cricketer to score 9,000 runs. He overtook Chris Gayle’s mark. Babar did this in 245 innings, while Gayle needed 249. Virat Kohli comes in second place with 9000 T20 runs scored from 271 innings.
Records have become Babar Azam’s best friend now that he has reached this point. Similar to India’s Virat Kohli, the Pakistan captain scores a lot of runs in any format, and he almost always sets a record. The PSL Eliminator 1 matchup between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United was no exception. Peshawar defeated two-time champion Islamabad by 12 runs in Lahore on Thursday, and Babar Azam took the batting lead with a blistering 64 off 39 balls.
Babar scored at a striking pace of 164 and hit 10 boundaries in his innings. Babar completed his fifth half-century in this PSL. The heroic right-hander became the fastest cricketer to score 9,000 runs in Twenty20 matches with this score. He overtook Chris Gayle’s mark.
In recent years, Babar has performed admirably in the game’s shortest format. Since 2019, he has scored the most T20 centuries of any cricketer in history with nine 100+ scores. With six T20 tons, England limited-overs captain Jos Buttler comes in second.
His innings propel Peshawar into the finals
His innings on Thursday in the knockout match laid the stage for Peshawar to post 183 for 8 while batting first. Babar and his opening partner Saim Ayub scored 60 runs for the first wicket before Ayub was run out for 23 off 16 balls. In the middle overs, Mohammad Harris’ wonderful cameo of 34 runs off just 17 balls provided the much-needed push.
Peshawar went 46-5 in the final seven overs after Babar was trapped by Shadab in the 13th over.
In the final five overs, Afghanistan fast bowlers Fazalhaq Farooqi, Faheem, and Mohammad Wasim bowled brilliantly, giving Peshawar only four boundaries. However, Peshawar’s death-bowling response would be even superior.
When Peshawar’s unheralded pacers Salman Irshad (2-18) and Aamer Jamal (2-36) turned the game on its head, Islamabad was leading the chase at 128-1 after 14 overs thanks to a century stand between Sohaib Maqsood (60) and Alex Hales (57). Islamabad was limited to 171.
Sohaib and Hales joined for 115 runs until Aamer lighted the breakdown when he wipe bowled Sohaib off a more full conveyance and Salman thumped back the stumps of Azam Khan. Aamer bowled Hales off a yorker and splendidly handled off his completion to run out Faheem Ashraf at the non-striker’s end. Shadab Khan, captain of Islamabad, could only hit one six despite needing 24 off Aamer’s final over, and he was out of the race for a third title.
In Friday’s second game of the elimination round, Peshawar will play the Lahore Qalandars, the defending champions. The champ goes to the rescheduled last against Multan Kings on Saturday. Due to the predicted rain on Sunday, the final was moved up one day.
