Kamal Ghorui
The leap, the roar, the punches in the air – it said everything about Babar Azam’s emotions on Sunday. The Pakistan star finally ended his long wait for a century, and his celebration told the full story. Representing Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League 2026, Babar produced a stunning hundred against Quetta Gladiators.Babar smashed an unbeaten 100 off just 52 balls, striking six fours and four sixes. His power-packed knock powered Peshawar Zalmi to a massive 255/3 in 20 overs at the National Stadium in Karachi.In reply, Quetta Gladiators were bowled out for 137 as Peshawar Zalmi cruised to a dominant 118-run victory.One of the most remarkable aspects of Babar’s innings was his control – he played just a single dot ball in his 52-ball knock, a rare feat. It marked the first time in T20 cricket history that a batter has faced more than 50 deliveries while playing only one dot ball.Long wait ends for Babar AzamThe relief and joy were evident when Babar removed his helmet and celebrated his century. Having endured a lean patch, he had to wait 783 days to reach the three-figure mark.He also achieved another major milestone, completing 12,000 runs in T20 cricket in just 338 innings — the fastest to the landmark. In doing so, he surpassed the records of Chris Gayle (344 innings) and Virat Kohli (360 innings).
