Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 is in the final part of the tournament. While Qualifier 1 between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United is underway. During the match, former Pakistan captain Babar Azam smashed a record-breaking century and silenced all his critics, which has given him a tough time in the last few months.
Babar Azam became the first batsman to score 500 runs in a single edition for the fourth time in the history of the PSL. Babar started the match with 485 runs in 10 innings and easily surpassed the 500-run mark in Zalmi’s third over by attacking United’s Richard Gleeson for a boundary.
Babar Azam creates a new record
Babar Azam has scored 500 runs in a single PSL season four times, surpassing Rawalpindi’s opponent Mohammad Rizwan, who has done it three times for the Multan Sultans. Babar first scored 500 runs or more in a single PSL season in 2021 for Karachi Kings, and has since done so three times for Zalmi.
The former Pakistan captain anchored the innings with an impressive century of 103 off 59 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes. He also maintained a strike rate of 174.58. This was the knock of a captain under pressure in a knockout game, with the innings well paced from start to finish. Babar surpassed his previous record of 569 runs in a single season.
Congratulations to our skipper: Mohammad Haris.
The record for most runs in a single season belongs to Babar Azam, who has already scored 588 runs in the 2026 edition for Zalmi, surpassing the previous record of Fakhar Zaman, who scored the same runs, but with one match less. Babar has a chance to surpass his Pakistan teammate, who did it back in the 2022 season.
After the first innings, Zalmi opener Mohammad Haris said, “The surface is a bit difficult but I am staying true to my game. My role at the top is to give a good start and get runs on the board.”
“Congratulations to our captain Babar Azam for that magnificent hundred. We talked about the clashes while we were there, and I think it’s a good result that we must defend to reach the final.”
Peshwar Zalmi, ever closer to the final
Coming into the match, Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan won the toss and elected to play first. While batting, Babar and Haris formed a 72-run partnership for the first wicket. Then 84 runs with Kusal Mendis. These two great partnerships helped Zalmi achieve a total of over 200 for the fourth time this season, scoring 221/7.
While chasing, IU are losing wickets at regular intervals, and with seven overs in hand, they are 109/5 after 12.2 overs as they pull away from the run chase, with Babar’s team keeping one foot in the PSL 2026 final.
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