Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has set his sights on breaking the record for most T20 runs held by the West Indian legend Chris Gayle.
In a recent interview on a local sports show, Malik confirmed his participation in this year’s National T20 Cup.
When probed about his motivation, the 41-year-old revealed his ambition to eclipse Gayle’s T20 run tally.
He stated, “First, I love playing [cricket] immensely. Second, as I’ve mentioned before, I aspire to surpass Chris Gayle’s record for the most runs in T20 cricket. To achieve this, I need around 1800 more runs. So, I plan to keep playing for a few more years.”
Currently, Shoaib Malik requires 1874 runs to etch his name in history. Presently, he boasts 12,688 runs in 478 T20 innings, while Gayle holds 14,562 runs in 455 innings. Given Malik’s unwavering commitment to fitness and the game, it wouldn’t be surprising if he continued to excel in T20 cricket and ultimately eclipsed Gayle’s record.
Remarkably, Malik has been a stalwart of Pakistani cricket, with an international career spanning nearly 24 years since his debut in October 1999 against West Indies in Sharjah. His enduring legacy includes 287 one-day matches, wherein he amassed 7534 runs at an average of 34.55 and secured 158 wickets.
While Shoaib Malik’s Test career was relatively brief, featuring 35 matches, he demonstrated his prowess by accumulating 1898 runs at an average of 35.14, with a career-best score of 245 against England in 2015 in the UAE. He also claimed 32 wickets during this period.
In T20Is, the 41-year-old amassed 2435 runs at an impressive average of 31.21, complemented by a striking rate of 125.64. Additionally, he contributed with the ball, taking 28 wickets in 49 innings.
Despite being the third-highest scorer in Pakistan Super League (PSL) history, accumulating 2082 runs, Malik has yet to secure a PSL trophy, marking an unfulfilled aspect of his otherwise illustrious career.
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