Babar Azam is not just scoring runs; He is also replying to his critics. After a tumultuous 2026 T20 World Cup, in which Pakistan lost in the Super 8s and Babar came under intense scrutiny for his powerplay strike rate which dipped below 100, the batsman has found form again in the yellow of Peshawar Zalmi. He took his team to the final of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 by defeating Islamabad United in the qualifiers at the National Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday night.

The Zalmi skipper’s second century of the season was a fine display of T20 pace. His innings of 103 runs from 59 balls, which included 12 fours and four sixes, took Peshawar to 221/7. In the process, Babar scored 588 runs in the tournament and equaled the all-time record for most runs in a PSL edition.

He became the second batsman after Usman Khan to score two centuries in the same PSL season. With his fourth century in the league, Babar now tops the all-time list of centuries alone.

However, it was his post-match reflection that stood out. “I’m starting to feel like I’m doing my best,” Babar said with quiet confidence.

“I’m trying to keep things simple and trust my skills, and execute my game according to the situation – what the pitch demands, how to handle different bowlers and when to attack,” he said. On his better form.

The contrast with their World Cup form is sharp. Earlier this year, Babar could only score 91 runs in six matches during Pakistan’s disappointing campaign, which led to him being temporarily dropped from the ODI set-up and raising questions again about his fitness and relevance in T20 cricket.

Critics had called him a liability in a format moving towards fast-paced aggression. Yet this season of the PSL shows that Babar has adapted. His strike rate in the qualifiers was 174.58, which showed that he can still deliver pace when the situation demands.

“All the hard work I did before the PSL is paying off now,” he said. “Even though things aren’t the same as before, they’re starting to come back and I want to continue this continuity.”

In reply, after Islamabad United were bowled out for 151, Peshawar Zalmi won by 70 runs and reached the final for the first time in five seasons. The innings, the numbers and Babar’s own words together marked a return to form after a difficult international campaign.

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