The veteran Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik has expressed his desire to break West Indies legend Chris Gayle’s T20 run record.
According to sources, Malik was asked if he would play in the National T20 Cup this year, and he replied, “Yes.”
When asked why he desires to play in the tournament, the 41-year-old stated that he wants to break Chris Gayle’s record.
Malik said, “First, I like to play [cricket] a lot. Second, as I have said [before], it is my wish to break Chris Gayle’s record of most runs in T20 cricket.”
Malik needs 1874 runs to set a new record in T20 cricket, as he currently has 12,688 runs in 478 innings, while Gayle has 14,562 in 455 innings.
It should be considered that Malik is one of Pakistan’s most experienced cricketers. He made his international debut against the West Indies in Sharjah in October 1999 and is still going strong at the highest level nearly 24 years later.
Malik made his ODI debut in 1999 and went on to represent Pakistan in 287 one-day matches, achieving 7534 runs at 34.55 while also taking 158 wickets.
Furthermore, In 49 T20I innings, he scored 2435 runs at 31.21 with a strike rate of 125.64 and took 28 wickets.
Meanwhile, Shoaib Malik’s determination to break Chris Gayle’s T20 records shows his passion for the game and his firm commitment to excellence. However, despite being the third highest-scoring player in Pakistan Super League (PLS) history with 2082 runs, Malik has never won a PSL trophy.
Source: Pro Pakistani