After facing comparison with Virat Kohli Having failed to chase down the recent target against the Hyderabad Kingsmen, the Pakistan skipper Babur Azam responded in style by rewriting the record books.Representing Peshawar Zalmi in Karachi on Thursday Pakistan Super League (PSL), Babar became the fastest player to complete 12 thousand runs in T20 cricket. He achieved this milestone in just 338 innings (351 matches), surpassing the previous record held by Chris Gayle, who played 343 innings. Kohli is third on the list, having reached the milestone in 360 innings.Top 5 fastest to 12,000 T20 runs (by innings):
| 1 | Babur Azam | 338 innings |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | 343 innings |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | 360 innings |
| 4 | David Warner | 368 innings |
| 5 | Jose Butler | 405 innings |
Babar needed just 13 runs to enter the 12000 runs club in T20 cricket during the PSL match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings and he crossed the milestone in the fourth over of Zalmi’s innings. With this feat, Babar became the second Pakistani batsman to cross the 12,000-run mark in T20S. The record for most T20 runs by a Pakistani player is still held by veteran batsman Shoaib Malik. Babar opened the innings for Peshawar Zalmi and remained unbeaten on 87 off 51 balls. He hit 10 fours and two sixes during his flurry and forged a crucial 191-run second-wicket partnership with Kosalmendes, guiding Zalmi to a total of 246/3 in the allotted 20 overs. Chasing a mammoth total of 247, Karachi Kings were bowled out for just 87 runs, thanks to the brilliant bowling of Iftikhar Ahmed, Shoora-e-Islam and Sufyan Muqim, with each bowler taking three wickets. In reply, Karachi Kings buckled under the pressure and were bowled out for just 87 runs, with Iftikhar Ahmed, Shoora-ul-Islam and Sufyan Moqim taking three wickets each to seal Zalmi’s victory.Earlier, Babar had expressed frustration at the constant comparisons with Kohli during the Peshawar Zalmi and Hyderabad Kingsmen’s post-match press conference.He said to finish these things, keep these things to yourself. Stop comparing and move on. It is your misunderstanding that I have not finished the matches.Babar silenced his critics by responding with a record-setting performance in the next match.
