Since the start of PSL in 2016, several batters have dominated the league with the bat. Some of them fired in just one or two seasons, while others have been consistent throughout. Babar Azam, Kamran Akmal, and Shoaib Malik are the top batsmen in PSL history.
In every season, there has been a top run scorer. Here, you will find the top PSL run-scorers of each season. We will also tell you about their average, strike rate, and number of half-centuries in the season. So, let’s begin.
PSL 2016 Highest Run Scorer
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The first season of the Pakistan Super League was played in the bowling-friendly conditions of UAE. Bowlers dominated the league, and batters struggled throughout the tournament. But Umar Akmal didn’t look bothered by the conditions at all. He scored 335 runs in just 7 matches. These runs came at an amazing average of 83.75.
Also, batsmen were not able to bat fluently in that edition. The slow tracks of UAE made it hard to chase down scores of even around 130. But Umar Akmal batted at an amazing strike rate of 157. His 7 innings included 4 half-centuries. He is the only non-opening batsman in PSL history to score the highest sum of runs in a season. Lahore Qalandars finished PSL 2016 at the bottom of the table. But Umar Akmal’s batting was a certain positive for them.
PSL 2017 Highest Run Scorer
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After Umar Akmal, his older brother Kamran Akmal became the top run scorer of the next season. Peshawar Zalmi became the champions that year, and Kamran Akmal was the biggest reason behind it. He was the stalwart of their batting lineup and was declared Player of the Tournament.
The opener played 13 games and accumulated 353 runs at a decent average of 32.09. The average wasn’t extraordinary, and he scored just 2 half-centuries. But he played impact knocks and helped his side win the trophy. Kamran Akmal scored these runs at a strike rate of 129.
PSL 2018 Highest Run Scorer
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After two local batters became the top scorers in the first couple of seasons, a foreign batsman joined the party in the third season. It was none other than Islamabad United’s Luke Ronchi. He powered his team to their second PSL title with his fireworks. He was awarded as the Player of the Series award as well as the Player of the Final.
The wicketkeeper was on absolute fire in the third season of the Pakistan Super League. He scored 435 runs in his 11 matches. The opener was averaging 43.5 and striking as high as 182. This is the highest strike rate by a PSL top-run scorer of a season. Ronchi scored 5 half-centuries in his 11 outings.
PSL 2019 Highest Run Scorer
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Another overseas batsman follows Luke Ronchi on the list. This time it was Quetta Gladiators’ Shane Watson. The star Aussie all-rounder became the Player of the Series in the tournament. He played a major role in making his team PSL champions for the first time in history.
Watson played 12 games in the season to score 430 runs at an average of exactly 43. The opener brought up 4 fifties in the season, and his strike rate was 144. His performances played a vital role in his side’s victorious campaign.
PSL 2020 Highest Run Scorer
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The 3 PSL seasons from 2017 to 2019 saw the development of Babar Azam as a T20 batsman. But it was the 2020 edition when he truly unleashed his true potential. PSL 2020 was a dream season for Babar Azam as he bagged the Player of the Season award. Not just that, he won the Player of the Match award in the qualifier and the final.
Babar scored 473 runs in his 12 innings in the 5th season of the PSL. He amassed 473 runs at an incredible average of 59.12. He also got 5 half-centuries in the tournament. His strike rate of 124 may look ordinary, but his performances were way better than that. The elegant right-hander scored runs when it mattered.
While chasing 142 in the qualifier against Multan Sultans, he scored 63 runs. His side still struggled to finish the game despite him leaving just 25 off 21 for them. But they managed to win and play the final. With 135 needed to win the final, Karachi’s batting lineup struggled again. But, he kept things in his control and finished unbeaten on 63 off just 49. Babar Azam made Karachi Kings champions for the first time in 5 years.
PSL 2021 Highest Run Scorer
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The year changed, but Babar’s form stayed the same. He became the top run-getter in the second-successive season. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make his side lift the trophy this time. In PSL 2021, Babar Azam accumulated 554 runs in just 11 innings. These runs were scored at an extraordinary average of 69.25.
The strike rate of 132.5 was pretty decent too. But the most amazing stat was his number of the 50s. The opener scored 7 half-centuries in just 11 knocks. It was indeed an incredible achievement, and it shows how consistent he was in that season.
PSL 2022 Highest Run Scorer
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5 out of 7 times in PSL, the highest run-scorer in the league has been from the Champion team. The same was the case in PSL 2022, as Fakhar Zaman of Lahore Qalandars got this honor. The left-hander also became the highest run-scorer in a single PSL season with 588 runs.
Fakhar was averaging 45.23 during the season, and he hit 7 fifties in 13 games. 7 half-centuries were the joint-most in a single PSL season, as Babar scored the same in the previous edition. His strike rate of 152.7 shows how impactful he was with the bat in that season.
List of Highest PSL Run Scorers by Season
Let’s take a look at the list of the highest run-scorers of PSL by season:
Season Top-Scorer Team Innings Runs Scored Average Strike Rate 50s
2016 Umar Akmal Lahore Qalandars 7 335 83.75 157 4
2017 Kamran Akmal Peshawar Zalmi 13 353 32.09 129 2
2018 Luke Ronchi Islamabad United 11 435 43.5 182 5
2019 Shane Watson Quetta Gladiators 12 430 43 144 4
2020 Babar Azam Karachi Kings 12 473 59.12 124 5
2021 Babar Azam Karachi Kings 11 554 69.25 132.5 7
2022 Fakhar Zaman Lahore Qalandars 13 578 45.23 152.7 7
