LAHORE: Pakistan all-format and Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam on Thursday, added another feather to his cap as he became the fastest batter to score 9000 runs in T20 cricket.
Babar, who scored a 39-ball 64 amid Zalmi’s encounter against Islamabad United in the first eliminator of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight, surpassed T20 great Chris Gayle to become the fastest to 9000 runs in T20s.
The right-handed batter achieved the milestone in just 245 innings, four innings fewer than the previous record held by Gayle, who took 249 innings.
Meanwhile, India’s superstar Virat Kohli is third on the list as he reached the landmark in 271 innings, followed by Australia’s David Warner (273) and Aaron Finch (281).
Notably, Babar is the second Pakistani batter to complete 9000 T20 runs after Shoaib Malik, who has thus far scored 12528 runs in the shortest format.
Babar’s brisk half-century scripted a flying start to Zalmi but United bowlers scripted an astounding comeback in the last seven overs of the first innings to restrict Zalmi to 183/8 in the first eliminator of the marquee league.
READ: United roar back to restrict Zalmi to 183/8 despite Babar’s fifty