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On Monday (April 21) at the National Stadium in Karachi, David Warner scripted a memorable chapter in his T20 career. The veteran Australian batter, who had a string of low scores leading into the match, finally found his rhythm in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 with a gritty half-century that not only steered Karachi Kings to a tense victory over Peshawar Zalmi but also catapulted him into the unique record in T20 cricket
David Warner’s maiden PSL fifty and win for Karachi Kings
In the game, Karachi found themselves in early trouble, losing three wickets within the powerplay. As wickets tumbled at the other end, the responsibility fell squarely on Warner to anchor the innings and guide the chase.
With his trademark composure, Warner dropped anchor and rotated the strike efficiently, constructing crucial partnerships with Irfan Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Khushdil Shah. He raised his bat for his maiden PSL half-century off 39 balls, eventually scoring a match-defining 60 off 47 deliveries, including five boundaries and one six. His innings came to an end when Zalmi pacer Luke Wood, the pick of their bowlers, outfoxed him with a well-disguised slower delivery that gripped off the surface. But by then, Warner had done enough to set up a successful chase.
With this win over Zalmi, Karachi concluded their home leg of the PSL 2025 with three victories from five matches, totaling six points. The Kings will now travel to Lahore to face Quetta Gladiators on April 25 (Friday) in what promises to be another high-stakes encounter.
Also READ: David Warner’s IPL and PSL salary: A head-to-head comparison
Entering the elite club in T20s
Warner’s knock against Peshawar was significant beyond the context of the game. During his innings, he reached the 13,000-run mark in T20 cricket, becoming just the sixth batter in history to do so. Even more impressively, he achieved the milestone in just his 403rd innings, making him the third fastest to reach the landmark, behind only the T20 legends Chris Gayle (381 innings) and Virat Kohli (386 innings).
Top 6 leading run-scorers in T20s so far
- Chris Gayle (West Indies, 2005-2022): 14,562 runs in 455 innings
- Alex Hales (England, 2009-2025): 13,610 runs in 490 innings
- Shoaib Malik (Pakistan, 2005-2025): 13,571 runs in 515 innings
- Kieron Pollard (West Indies, 2006-2025): 13,537 runs in 617 innings
- Virat Kohli (India, 2007-2025): 13,208 runs in 390 innings
- David Warner (Australia, 2007-2025): 13,019 runs in 403 innings
By reaching this milestone, Warner also became the first Australian to breach the 13,000-run barrier in T20s. Among his compatriots, only Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell have surpassed 10,000 runs in the shortest format, underlining Warner’s stature as Australia’s most prolific T20 batter.
A storied T20 career across the globe
Warner’s journey in T20 cricket has been marked by explosive starts, leadership success, and unwavering consistency. Having played for multiple T20 franchises around the world, his most successful stint came in the Indian Premier League (IPL), particularly with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). With SRH, Warner scored 4,014 runs at an average of 49.56 and a strike rate of 142.6, leading them to their maiden IPL title in 2016.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Warner went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, prompting him to turn to the PSL, where he was named captain of Karachi for the season. After a slow start, posting scores of 12, 0, 31 and 3 in his first four outings, Warner delivered in crunch time, showing why he remains one of the most bankable names in T20 history.
Also READ: PSL 2025: David Warner shuts down a Pakistan reporter over Indians ‘spreading hate’ comment
