Babar Azam creates history in Pakistan Super League, becomes first batter to achieve this huge feat
Babar Azam is leading the Peshawar Zalmi in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 and the team lost the first match against Quetta Gladiators by 16 runs but Babar Azam was brilliant in the match as he scored 68 off 42 deliveries smashing four fours and four sixes. With this innings, Babar Azam became the first-ever player to cross the 3000-run mark in PSL. He has scored 3003 runs in 78 innings at a strike rate of 125.49 in the PSL.
Babar Azam opened the innings with Saim Ayub and added 91 runs for the opening partnership while chasing a huge target of 207 runs set by Quetta Gladiators. Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bowl first after which Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel demolished the Peshawar bowlers as they added 157 runs for the opening partnership. Babar Azam took a stunning catch to dismiss Saud Shakeel who scored 74 off 47 deliveries whereas Jason Roy scored 75 off 48 deliveries.
Babar Azam reached the 3000 mark in the Pakistan Super League whereas Mohammad Rizwan became the latest member of the 2000 runs club in the PSL as he became the fourth batter to cross 2000 runs in PSL amassing 2007 runs in 61 innings in the PSL at a strike rate of 128.32. Mohammad Rizwan is the captain of the franchise Multan Sultans and led his team to the finals in the last season. Multan Sultans won their first game of the season against Karachi Kings by 55 runs.
Babar Azam reaches 3000 runs in the Pakistan Super League
Babar Azam's the first to 3000 PSL runs, Mohammad Rizwan enters the 2000s ✍️#PSL2024 pic.twitter.com/r2L8mDOC2j
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 19, 2024
Pakistan Super League started in 2016 and since then it has been the annual competition for Pakistan players and a great tournament to groom young talents. Babar Azam is the top scorer in the tournament history whereas Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan and Kamran Akmal are also on the list of players with the most runs in the tournament.
Here are the top five run-getters in the Pakistan Super League
- Babar Azam: He leads the Peshawar Zalmi franchise and was previously associated with Karachi Kings where he the title. Babar Azam has amassed 3003 runs in 78 innings at a strike rate of 125.4
- Fakhar Zaman: Zaman currently plays for the defending champions Lahore Qalandars which is led by Shaheen Shah Afridi. He has amassed 2381 runs in 77 innings at a strike rate of 141.97
- Shoaib Malik: Shoaib represents Karachi Kings and has amassed 2135 runs in 78 innings at a strike rate of 130.18 and he has also represented Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans previously.
- Mohammad Rizwan: Rizwan is the captain of the Multan Sultans and he is the latest entry in the 2000 runs club in the PSL. He has amassed 2007 runs in 61 innings at a strike rate of 128.32
- Kamran Akmal: He played for Peshawar Zalmi and has amassed 1927 runs in 74 innings at a strike rate of 136.94
Pakistan Super League commenced on February 17 with the match between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars. The defending champions lost the first match against Islamabad United as the latter chased a target of 196 easily in the match.
