Pakistan’s all-rounder, Shoaib Malik, has reached another milestone in T20 cricket by scoring 12,000 runs. The seasoned cricketer is the second-highest run-scorer in T20 cricket.
The Sialkot-born cricketer, who is representing Jaffna Kings in the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL), reached the milestone with his innings of 35 runs against the Colombo Stars.
The 40-year-old batter, who has played 485 T20 games, is second on the list after former West Indian captain, Chris Gayle, to reach 12,000 runs in the shortest format of the game.
Shoaib Malik made his T20I debut against England in Bristol in 2006 and led Pakistan to the final of the T20 World Cup in South Africa, where India defeated the Green Shirts by five runs.
The right-hander was also a member of the national team that won the T20 World Cup in England back in 2009, where Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Lord’s.
The experienced all-rounder has, so far, played 124 matches for the national side, amassing 2,435 runs at an average of 31.2 and a strike rate of 125.6. Malik also has 28 wickets to his name.
While speaking to the media regarding his retirement, Malik said, “I am not thinking about retirement; everyone will know when I think or announce it. I am enjoying my game.”
Here are the highest run-getters in T20 cricket’s history:
Batter | Country | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
Chris Gayle | West Indies | 463 | 14562 | 36.22 | 144.75 | 22 | 88 |
Shoaib Malik | Pakistan | 486 | 12027 | 36.44 | 127.43 | 0 | 73 |
Kieron Pollard | West Indies | 614 | 11915 | 31.02 | 150.25 | 1 | 56 |
Virat Kohli | India | 360 | 11326 | 40.88 | 133.01 | 6 | 85 |
David Warner | Australia | 336 | 11080 | 37.94 | 141.43 | 8 | 93 |