PSL 11: Babar Azam becomes fastest batter to score 12,000 T20 runs

Right-handed batter breaches 12000-run barrier in his 338th innings

Faizan Lakhani

Published April 09, 2026

Peshawar Zalmis Babar Azam watches the ball after playing a shot during their PSL 11 match against Karachi Kings at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on April 9, 2026. — PCB — Peshawar Zalmi's Babar Azam watches the ball after playing a shot during their PSL 11 match against Karachi Kings at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on April 9, 2026. — PCB

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi’s skipper Babar Azam on Thursday rewrote the history books as he became the fastest batter to score 12,000 runs in men's T20 during his side's Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 fixture against Karachi Kings at the National Bank Stadium.

The right-handed batter entered the fixture with 11987 runs to his name in just 337 innings and breached the 12000-run barrier with a six off Kings' Khushdil Shah on the third delivery of the fourth over.

As a result, the 31-year-old became just the 12th batter in the history of the men's T20s to reach the milestone, joining the likes of West Indies' Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, India's Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and compatriot Shoaib Malik in the elusive list.

Interestingly, Babar is the fastest among the 12 batters to breach the 12000-run barrier, taking just 338 innings, five fewer than Gayle, who conceded 345 innings. He is followed by Kohli and Australia's David Warner, with 360 and 368 innings, respectively.

Meanwhile, Gayle still holds the top spot on the list of batters with the most runs in men's T20s with 14,562 runs in 455 innings, comprising 22 centuries and 88 fifties, closely followed by compatriot Pollard with 14,482 runs.

Legendary Pakistan all-rounder Malik holds the seventh spot with 13,571 runs in 515 innings.