Babar Azam Smashes Century and Sets T20 Milestone in PSL Victory

Peshawar. Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam has scripted history in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 match against Quetta Gladiators. Ending a long run drought with a magnificent century, Babar led Peshawar to a commanding 118-run victory over Quetta. 

In Sunday's match, Peshawar batted first and posted a massive total of 255 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. In response, Quetta was bundled out for just 137 runs, securing a dominant win for Peshawar.

The 31-year-old Babar, who scored his first T20 century after a 783-day wait, surpassed the records of cricket legends Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle. Babar has become the fastest batter to reach 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. 

He achieved this milestone in just 338 innings, overtaking Gayle (344 innings) and Kohli (360 innings). With this century, Babar's total T20 career centuries reached 12, the second-highest in the world after Chris Gayle's 22. He had last scored a century in February 2024.

Babar's innings is considered rare not just for the runs scored but also for the statistics. Remaining unbeaten on 100 runs off 52 balls, he hit 6 fours and 4 sixes. 

The most intriguing aspect of this innings was that despite facing over 50 balls, he played only one dot ball. Babar has become the first player in T20 cricket history to face over 50 balls while playing only one dot ball. 

He was well-supported by fellow batter Kusal Mendis. Mendis played an explosive innings of 83 runs off 44 balls, and the duo shared a 135-run partnership, propelling Peshawar to the third-highest score in PSL history.

Chasing the massive target, Bevan Jacobs was the top scorer for Quetta with 34 runs. Peshawar's bowlers maintained tight pressure to wrap up the Quetta innings cheaply. For Peshawar, Mohammad Basit and Ali Raja took 3 wickets each, while Aaron Hardie claimed 2 wickets.