Babar Azam Scores Historic Century After 783 Days; Surpasses Gayle, Kohli

Quetta: Babar Azam’s long wait finally came to an end as he smashed a magnificent century for Peshawar Zalmi during their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 clash against Quetta Gladiators on Sunday. It was a completely dominant display from Peshawar, who posted a massive 255/3 in 20 overs before bowling Quetta out for 137 to seal a comprehensive 118-run victory. The former Pakistan captain, who had been struggling for runs in recent times, reached triple figures after a gap of 783 days. With this century, Babar not only returned to form in emphatic fashion but also surpassed India star Virat Kohli in an elite T20 batting list.

Babar completed 12,000 runs in T20 cricket in just 338 innings, making him the fastest batter in the world to achieve the milestone. He went past West Indies legend Chris Gayle, who reached the mark in 344 innings, and also bettered Kohli, who achieved the feat in 360 innings.

The hundred against Quetta was Babar’s 12th T20 century, keeping him second on the list of batters with the most T20 hundreds. Gayle remains at the top with 22 centuries in the format. Babar’s previous T20 ton had come back in February 2024.

The 31-year-old also scripted a unique record during his knock. He remained unbeaten on 100 off just 52 balls, hitting six fours and four towering sixes while facing only a single dot ball. This was the first time in T20 cricket history that a batter faced more than 50 deliveries and played just one dot ball.

Kusal Mendis also played a crucial role in Peshawar’s batting onslaught, hammering 83 off 44 balls. The duo stitched together a vital 135-run partnership, which laid the foundation for Peshawar’s mammoth total of 255/3 – the third-highest team score in PSL history.

In reply, Quetta Gladiators were bundled out for 137, with Bevon Jacobs top-scoring with 34 runs. For Peshawar Zalmi, Mohammad Basit and Ali Raza picked up three wickets each, while Aaron Hardie chipped in with two scalps.