Babar Azam scripts history in Pakistan Super League: Details
What's the story
Pakistan's batting talisman Babar Azam has accomplished yet another milestone as he has become the first batter to complete 3,000 runs in the Pakistan Super League.
The Peshawar Zalmi skipper accomplished the milestone en route to his 68-run knock against Quetta Gladiators in the second match of PSL 2023.
His efforts, however, went in vain as the Gladiators triumphed by 16 runs.
Knock
A valiant effort from Babar
Chasing 207 in Lahore, Peshawar were off to a stellar start with Babar and Saim Ayub (42) adding 91 runs for the opening wicket inside nine overs.
Though Babar did not receive any substantial support from the other end following Ayub's departure, he continued to fight.
Having scored a 42-ball 68, he fell to Abrar Ahmed in the 16th over (4 fours, 4 sixes).
Milestone
3,000 runs in PSL
While Babar has now raced to 3,003 runs in 80 PSL games, no other batter even owns 2,400 runs.
His average of 44.16 is the best among batters with at least 300 PSL runs (SR: 125.49).
Babar's tally of 30 50-plus scores is also the most for any batter (100: 1).
For Peshawar Zalmi, he has raced to 590 runs at 53.63 (SR: 147.13).
Decoding numbers
Most runs for Karachi Kings
Babar served Karachi Kings from 2017 to 2022.
With 2,398 runs in 66 matches at 43.6, Babar is still the franchise's highest run-scorer. The tally includes 23 fifties.
Imad Wasim (1,086) is the only other batter with 1,000-plus runs for the franchise.
Babar also played a couple of games for Islamabad United in the 2016 season, managing just 15 runs.
Stats
10,000 T20 runs loading for Babar
Babar has now raced to 9,994 runs in 280 T20 games as his average and strike rate in the format are 43.83 and 128.82, respectively.
The tally includes 10 tons and 83 fifties with 122 being his best score.
He could become just the second Pakistan batter after Shoaib Malik (13,106) to complete 10,000 runs in the format.
Achievement
Second-most centuries in T20 cricket
Babar's tally of 10 tons is the most by a Pakistan batter in T20 cricket.
In the overall list, he is only behind former West Indies opener Chris Gayle, who clobbered 22 tons.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Babar's average of 43.83 is the best among batters with at least 1,000 T20 runs.
Meanwhile, 3,698 of Babar's runs have come in T20Is at 41.55.