Babar Azam added another chapter to his reputation as one of the premier T20 batters on the planet, reaching a landmark achievement during the PSL 2026 contest between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators at the National Stadium in Karachi. The match also underlined how effectively Peshawar have been playing lately, as they sealed a comfortable win by eight wickets, turning what could have been a tense chase into a controlled performance.
Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision they backed with disciplined execution. Quetta Gladiators struggled to build any sustained rhythm and were limited to 154 runs in their full 20 overs. From there, the chase was always heading in Zalmi’s direction, and they reached the target with 17 balls remaining, finishing the job in 18.3 overs.
Mohammad Haris set the tone early with a quickfire 35 that gave Zalmi the momentum they needed. Once Babar Azam came to the crease, the innings shifted gears—he took charge with calm authority, keeping the chase steady and eliminating the possibility of late-game pressure. The skipper remained unbeaten on 71 off 51 balls, guiding his side to victory without a wobble.
Historic milestone for Babar Azam
That knock carried even greater significance for Babar. With the innings, he became the first Pakistani and only the fourth player in the world to reach 100 T20 half-centuries, a feat that places him alongside names such as David Warner, Virat Kohli, and Jos Buttler. Babar’s consistency across T20 cricket is further emphasized by another notable record: he has the most consecutive fifty-plus scores in international cricket, having produced nine straight scores of 50 or more across formats in 2022.
The milestone also reflects how rare Babar’s run of form has been. In the world’s T20 list of players hitting 100 half-centuries, the latest standings highlighted the gap between him and other modern greats:
Player — Innings — 50s
David Warner — 435 — 116
Virat Kohli — 402 — 107
Jos Buttler — 468 — 100
Babar Azam — 341 — 100
In addition, Babar moved ahead in the T20 record books by surpassing Chris Gayle for the most 50-plus scores in the format. His numbers in this department make for a striking comparison:
Babar Azam: 111 (100 fifties, 11 centuries)
Chris Gayle: 110 (88 fifties, 22 centuries)
When viewed across the top end of the T20 era’s consistency charts, Babar’s place becomes even clearer. The top five players for the most 50-plus scores in T20 cricket were listed as follows:
Player — Innings — 50+ Scores — 100s — 50s
David Warner — 435 — 126 — 101 — 16
Virat Kohli — 402 — 116 — 107 — 9
Babar Azam — 341 — 111 — 11 — 100
Chris Gayle — 455 — 110 — 22 — 88
Jos Buttler — 468 — 108 — 108 — 0
Overall, the performance showcased why Babar continues to be viewed as a cornerstone of top-level batting in the shortest format. His ability to convert starts into long runs of big scores has underlined both his longevity and the steadiness that defines elite T20 careers. After this display in Karachi, Babar’s standing as one of T20 cricket’s all-time greats feels even more firmly cemented.
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