PSL 2023: Babar Azam goes past former CSK batter, eyes elite record in T20 cricket

Babar Azam, the in-form player, has been leading his team, Peshawar Zalmi, with great determination. With a total of 416 runs, the right-handed batsman has secured the second spot in the list of top batsmen in the ongoing season. As the captain of Pakistan, Babar Azam is just 12 runs away from surpassing Mohammad Rizwan in the list of players with the most runs.

Babar began the tournament with a remarkable knock of 68 runs and has continued to impress with three additional half-centuries. During the league stage fixture against the Quetta Gladiators, Babar demonstrated his exceptional skills by smashing 115 runs off just 65 balls, contributing to Peshawar's impressive total of 240 runs.

On Friday, Babar scored an impressive 73 runs against the Multan Sultans. However, this was not the only achievement he accomplished during the match. Babar surpassed Shane Watson in the list of batters with the most runs in T20s, marking another milestone in his career. With a total of 8065 runs in 253 matches, he now holds the 16th spot in the overall list.

After a successful career spanning 343 matches, Shane Watson retired from T20 cricket in 2020. As a genuine all-rounder, Watson amassed an impressive 8821 runs and also took 216 wickets in the shortest format of the game. 

Babar Azam is on the verge of breaking the 9000-run mark and has set his sights on reaching 10000 runs within the next year. However, he faces stiff competition from some of the greatest players in the game. At the top of the list is the legendary West Indies batsman, Chris Gayle, who has amassed an incredible 14562 runs in 463 matches. Following closely behind is the talented Pakistani all-rounder, Shoaib Malik, with an impressive 12528 runs to his name.

Despite being an active player, Malik has shown no signs of slowing down and could potentially break Gayle's record if he continues to play for the next 2-3 years. He has been a regular fixture in various cricket leagues and has consistently performed at the highest level.

Trailing behind Malik is the explosive West Indies all-rounder, Kieron Pollard, with 12076 runs, and Australian opener, Aaron Finch, with 11392 runs, rounding out the top four.

Virat Kohli has secured the fifth spot in the list of top run-scorers with an impressive 11,326 runs. With his exceptional skills and consistent performance, he has the potential to become the first player to reach the remarkable milestone of 15,000 runs in the next few years. 

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