Babar Azam achieved the feat during the Peshawar Zalmi vs Islamabad United Pakistan Super League Eliminator 1.
PSL 2023: Babar Azam went past Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli by becoming the fastest cricketer to reach 9000 runs in T20s. The Pakistan skipper reached the feat in 245 innings, as compared to Gayle (249) and Kohli (271).
Skipper of Peshawar Zalmi, Babar scored a blistering 39-ball 64 to at a strike rate of 164 including 10 fours to notch up his fifth half-century in the ongoing PSL. Riding on his knock, Peshawar eliminated Islamabad United by 12 runs on Thursday.
Batting first, Peshawar scored 183/8 in 20 overs. In reply, Islamabad were going good at 128/1 after 14 overs with Sohaib Maqsood (60) and Alex Hales (57) putting on a century stand. But Salman Irshad (2/18) and Aamer Jamal (2/36) turned the game on their head for Peshawar. Islamabad managed just 171-6.
Peshawar will next take on Lahore Qalandars in the Eliminator 2 on Friday. The winner of the game goes to the final where they face Multan Sultans on Saturday. The PSL 2023 final was brought forward by a day due to rain forecast on Sunday.
The Pakistan skipper has been in stellar form in the shortest for the game. The right-hander has scored nine T20 centuries since 2019 which is the most by any cricketer in the world. England’s white-ball skipper Jos Buttler is second on the list with six tons to his name.