Babar Breaks Gayle’s Record of Fastest 12,000 T20 Runs

KARACHI: Babar Azam became the fastest player to reach 12,000 runs in men’s T20 cricket during a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings at the National Stadium Karachi on Thursday.

The Zalmi captain brought up the milestone early in his innings, overtaking the previous record held by Chris Gayle. Babar reached the landmark in 338 innings, improving on Gayle’s mark of 343, while Virat Kohli remains third on the list with 360 innings.

The achievement places Babar among a select group of players to cross 12,000 runs in the format, alongside names such as Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma and David Warner. Despite losing the record, Gayle continues to hold the highest aggregate in men’s T20 cricket.

Zalmi Post Big Total Before Bowling Out Kings

Babar followed up the milestone with a commanding unbeaten innings, finishing on 87 as Peshawar Zalmi posted 246 for 3. He played an incredible knock against Kings and ensured sustained scoring through the middle and late overs.

Karachi Kings struggled in response and were bowled out for 87. This  results in a one-sided contest. Zalmi’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout, with regular wickets preventing any recovery in the chase.

Points Table Impact

The result strengthened Zalmi’s position in PSL 11. This has taken them to second place with three wins in four matches. The margin of victory also provided a significant boost to their net run rate as the tournament progressed.

Top Players With Fastest 12,000 T20 runs (Men’s Cricket)

• Babar Azam – 338 innings
• Chris Gayle – 343 innings
• Virat Kohli – 360 innings
• David Warner – 368 innings
• Jos Buttler – 405 innings