Last Updated on April 9, 2026 by Khabr Bite
Babar Azam lost his cool at a reporter after he asked why Babar can’t finish games like Virat Kohli. In the Pakistan Super League 2026, Babar played a decent knock against Hyderabad Kingsmen. He scored 43 runs in a chase of 146, but unfortunately, he failed to finish the game.
During the early days of Babar Azam, people used to compare him with Virat Kohli, but in recent years, he has not been in that good form. At present, there is also no certainty of him featuring in the playing XI of the Pakistan cricket team.
As per The Times of India, the journalist asked, “Virat Kohli comes with the same shot of the game as you, but he finishes the match, which you lack. People compare him to you. What are your views on the comparison?” At first, Babar didn’t seem that happy, but later replied, “Let these things be for yourself. End the comparison and carry on. It’s your misconception that I have not finished matches.”
Also Read: IPL 2026 Fan Parks Phase 2 Announced: 30 Cities, 6 Weekends, Full Schedule Revealed
Why is Babar Azam facing criticism recently?
Babar Azam is mainly facing issues because of his slow strike rate and inability to finish matches. Also, various former players have pointed out that his batting style doesn’t fit modern T20 cricket. In the Pakistan Super League, Babar Azam has scored a total of 82 runs in 2 matches with a strike rate of 126.15. Also, he has only 10 fours and just 1 six.
Despite being one of the greatest cricketers for Pakistan, Babar has been the main subject of criticism, mainly in the shortest format of the game. Whether it’s about his strike rate or ability to chase big totals, Babar has often been a prime target for critics.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Update: BCCI Restricts Bench Players, New Rules Explained
Babar Azam Stats in T20I, ODI, and Test Cricket
Babar is a premier Pakistani player with great records across all formats. He has scored 6,000 ODI runs with an average of 53+ and over 4,000 runs in both T20Is and Test Cricket. Here are the stats of Babar Azam:
| Format | Matches | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 61 | 112 | 4366 | 196 | 42.38 | 54.45 |
| ODIs | 140 | 137 | 6501 | 158 | 53.72 | 87.16 |
| T20Is | 145 | 136 | 4596 | 122 | 38.94 | 128.02 |
Source: ESPNcricInfo
IPL 2026 Points Table
| TEAMS | P | W | L | NR | NRR | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +2.403 | 6 |
| PBKS | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +0.637 | 5 |
| RCB | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +2.501 | 4 |
| DC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +0.811 | 4 |
| LSG | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -0.359 | 4 |
| SRH | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +0.275 | 2 |
| GT | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -0.270 | 2 |
| MI | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -0.715 | 2 |
| KKR | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -1.315 | 1 |
| CSK | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -2.517 | 0 |
