Babar Azam Breaks Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli Record to Become Fastest to 12,000 T20 Runs

On Thursday, April 9, Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi took on the Karachi Kings in match number 17 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 at the National Stadium in Karachi, and they absolutely crushed it, winning by a whopping 159 runs.

Coming off a victory against the Hyderabad Kingsmen just a day earlier, Zalmi set a solid target of 146 runs, thanks to an explosive 52-ball 109 from Kusal Mendis and a stellar unbeaten 87 from Babar Azam. In response, they completely shut down the Kings, bowling them out for just 87 runs in 16.1 overs, sealing a massive win. 

During this impressive victory, Babar Azam, the former captain of Pakistan, reached a significant milestone. The 31-year-old made history with his unbeaten 87 off 51 balls, which included 10 fours and 2 sixes. With this performance, he became the fastest player to score 12,000 runs in T20 cricket, surpassing legends like Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle. 

Babar Azam Becomes Fastest to 12,000 T20 Runs

Babar achieved this remarkable feat in just 338 innings, breaking Chris Gayle's previous record of 343 innings. Virat Kohli now ranks third, having taken 360 innings to reach the same milestone.

Before the match, Babar needed just 13 runs to hit the landmark, and he reached it in the fourth over. Additionally, he became only the second Pakistani batter to achieve this, following in the footsteps of Shoaib Malik. 

Once again, Babar Azam showcased his exceptional talent with a match-winning performance for Peshawar Zalmi. His record-breaking achievement and strong innings not only led the team to a significant victory over Karachi Kings but also underscored his consistency in T20 cricket, giving him a boost of confidence as the tournament progresses.