Babar Azam Creates History, Becomes 2nd Pakistani Batter To Score 12,000 Runs In T20s

Babar Azam has entered his name in the history books on Thursday (April 9) by becoming the second Pakistani batter to score 12,000 runs in T20s. The 31-year-old right-handed batter from Lahore, who is the highest run-getter in T20Is, needed 13 runs in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings to join the 12,000-run club in T20s, and he achieved the objective by hammering Khushdil Shah for a six on the third ball of the fourth over of Zalmi’s innings at National Stadium in Karachi.

The ongoing PSL 2026 match between Peshawar and Karachi is Babar’s 351st T20 match, and he has scored 11 centuries and 98 half-centuries so far.

The record for scoring the most runs in T20s by a Pakistani batter is held by Shoaib

Malik. Malik played a total of 557 T20 matches from 2005 to 2025 and amassed a total of 13,571 runs.

Most runs by Pakistan batters in T20s

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	MATCHES	RUNS
Shoaib Malik	Barbados Tridents, Central Punjab, Chittagong Vikings, Comilla Victorians, Delhi Daredevils, Fortune Barishal, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hobart Hurricanes, ICC World XI, Islamabad, Jaffna Kings, Jaffna Stallions, Jozi Stars, Karachi Kings, Karachi Whites, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Multan Sultans, Pakistan, Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistanis, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Rajshahi Royals, Rangpur Riders, Sialkot Region, Sialkot Stallions, Southern Punjab, Stallions, Uva Next, Warwickshire	557	13571
Babar Azam	Central Punjab, Colombo Strikers, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Islamabad Leopards, Islamabad Region, Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Blues, Lahore Eagles, Lahore Region Blues, Lahore Whites, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Peshawar Zalmi, Punjab, Rangpur Riders, Somerset, Sydney Sixers, Sylhet Sixers, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited	351	12,074
Mohammad Rizwan	Comilla Victorians, Karachi Kings, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars, Melbourne Renegades, Multan Sultans, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Peshawar, Peshawar Panthers, Peshawar Region, Rawalpindiz, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Sussex, Sylhet Sixers	306	8918
Fakhar Zaman	Abbottabad Falcons, Abbottabad Region, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, B-Love Kandy, Brisbane Heat, Comilla Victorians, Desert Vipers, Glamorgan, Karachi Dolphins, Karachi Zebras, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars, Markhors, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Peshawar	334	8631
Mohammad Hafeez	Dhaka Dynamites, Faisalabad Wolves, Galle Gladiators, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Khulna Royal Bengals, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lahore Blues, Lahore Lions, Lahore Qalandars, Lahore Region Whites, Melbourne Stars, Middlesex, Multan, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Pakistanis, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Rajshahi Kings, Southern Punjab, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Wayamba United	374	7946
Ahmed Shehzad	Barbados Tridents, Barisal Burners, Central Punjab, Comilla Victorians, Dhaka Dominators, Fortune Barishal, Jamaica Tallawahs, Kandy Warriors, Lahore Blues, Lahore Lions, Lahore Region Whites, Multan Sultans, Nagenahira Nagas, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Quetta Gladiators	257	7011
Kamran Akmal	Central Punjab, Chittagong Vikings, Lahore Eagles, Lahore Lions, Lahore Whites, Multan Region, National Bank of Pakistan, Pakistan, Pakistanis, Peshawar Zalmi, Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, St Lucia Stars, Sylhet Royals, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Wayamba United	291	6775
Iftikhar Ahmed	Colombo Strikers, Fortune Barishal, Galle Gladiators, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Islamabad, Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Markhors, Mis Ainak Knights, Multan Sultans, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Peshawar, Peshawar Panthers, Peshawar Region, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Rangpur Riders, Rawalpindi, Water and Power Development Authority	320	6134
Umar Akmal	Barbados Tridents, Central Punjab, Chittagong Vikings, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Lahore Lions, Lahore Qalandars, Lahore Region Whites, Lahore Whites, Leicestershire, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Pakistanis, Quetta Gladiators, Rajshahi Kings, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Trinbago Knight Riders, Wayamba United	279	5839
Sahibzada Farhan	Dolphins, Faisalabad, Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Pakistan, Pakistan A, Peshawar, Peshawar Region, Rajshahi Warriors, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited	169	5220

The world record for scoring the most runs in T20s is held by Chris Gayle. Gayle played 463 T20 matches for more than two dozen teams from 2005 to 2022 and scored a total of 14,562. In the list of batters with most runs in T20s, Gayle is followed by Kieron Pollard, Alex Hales, David Warner and Jos Buttler.