“Stop the Comparisons!”: Babar Azam’s Heated Reaction To Being Compared to Virat Kohli

Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam had a tense exchange with a journalist during the post-match press conference following his side's four-wicket win over Hyderabad Kingsmen in PSL 2026 at the National Stadium in Karachi on April 8. The incident occurred after Zalmi sealed the 146-run chase off the final ball, moving to fourth place on the points table with five points from three matches.

The situation arose when a reporter questioned Babar about comparisons with Virat Kohli, particularly around finishing ability in run chases. The journalist referenced Kohli's reputation for closing games and suggested that critics believe Babar lacks similar consistency in finishing matches.

Babar Azam has Heated Response During Press Conference

Babar appeared visibly irritated by the comparison and responded firmly, asking the reporter to avoid drawing parallels between the two batters. He stated that such opinions were based on misconceptions and insisted that he has finished matches for his team on multiple occasions.

"Let's end this here. Keep such thoughts to yourself. Stop the comparisons and move on. It's your misconception that I haven't finished matches," Babar said during the interaction.

The exchange quickly drew attention, with comparisons between Babar and Kohli continuing to remain a recurring theme in modern-day cricket discussions due to similarities in technique and consistency across format

Babar Contributes in Tight Chase

In the match itself, Babar played a stabilising role during the chase of 146. He scored 43 off 37 balls, striking six fours and building a crucial 51-run partnership for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis.

His dismissal in the 15th over, trapped lbw by Hassan Khan, left Zalmi needing a steady finish. The chase remained tight until the final stages, with Iftikhar Ahmed contributing an unbeaten 15 to guide the team home off the last delivery.

Across two matches in PSL 2026 so far, Babar has scored 82 runs at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 126.15, providing stability at the top of the order.

Ongoing Debate Around Comparisons

Comparisons between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli have remained common in recent years, largely due to their similar batting styles and consistent run-scoring records in international cricket. The debate intensified after Babar overtook Kohli as the No.1 ODI batter in ICC rankings in 2021 and became the fastest player to reach 5,000 ODI runs in 97 innings.

Despite the recurring comparisons, both players have publicly expressed mutual respect, with several instances of on-field camaraderie highlighting their professional relationship.

With the win over Hyderabad Kingsmen, Peshawar Zalmi strengthened their position in the mid-table standings and gained momentum early in the season. Their next fixture is scheduled against Karachi Kings on April 9 at the same venue, where maintaining consistency in close finishes will remain a key objective.