Stats: Shoaib Malik becomes the first Pakistan player to score 7000 runs in T20 cricket

Shoaib Malik, part of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) team Barbados Tridents, completed 7000 runs in his Twenty20 cricket career on Saturday. Thus the all-rounder became only the 7th player in this format to complete the milestone and the first player from Pakistan. He completed the landmark during their game against Trinbago Knight Riders played at Gros Islet.

Malik scored 51 in the game against the Trinbago side to complete 7000 T20 runs as he was 50 away from the milestone before the game. He brought up his fifty in 36 balls but didn’t last long after as he holed out after scoring 51 off 38 balls, an innings which included 5 fours. The Knight Riders won the game by 2 wickets which went down to the last over.

This was 259th innings in T20s for Malik and only Dwayne Smith (292) and Kieron Pollard (325) innings for completing 7000 runs in this format. Smith completed his 7000-run milestone in T20s during their previous game while Brendon McCullum became the 2nd player after Chris Gayle to complete 8000 T20 runs in this tournament only. Among the 7 players with 7000 T20 runs, only Malik and Pollard have not scored a century so far.

Most runs by a player in Twenty20 cricket:

Among Pakistan players, Shoaib Malik is the only crickter till date to score more than 5000 runs in Twenty20s. Umar Akmal is the nearest Pakistan player to Malik’s tally in T20s with 4906 runs so far. Only six Pakistan players have aggregated 4000 and more runs including Malik till now.

Most runs in Twenty20 cricket by Pakistan players:

(Stats as on August 12, 2017)