Captain of Peshawar Zalmi Babur Azam There was a backlash for a journalist after being compared to Virat Kohli On his ability to close out matches, following his team’s sensational last-ball victory against Hyderabad Kingsmen Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026.Zalmi won the toss and elected to field first and restricted Hyderabad Kingsmen to a paltry total of 145. During the chase, Babar played an innings of 43 runs off 37 balls but was dismissed before the end of play. Despite his departure, Zalmi held his nerve to claim a dramatic victory off the last ball.The journalist’s question provoked a reaction.During the post-match press conference, a Pakistani journalist questioned Babar about criticism of his finishing ability, drawing comparisons to Indian star Virat Kohli.“There are a lot of expectations from you… you drive the innings but don’t finish the game. You are often compared to Virat Kohli… do you think the comparison is fair?” asked the journalist.However, Babar was quick to shut down the comparison, stopping the question mid-way.Babur’s reply: ‘Abolish your religion. For the reason you are asking, you have finished a lot of matches in…(Keep these things to yourself. Stop comparing and move on. It’s your misunderstanding that I didn’t finish the matches) Babar Azam’s reaction shows his growing frustration at being repeatedly compared to Virat Kohli. The Pakistan skipper has faced criticism for his run-chasing performance at the international level, where he has at times struggled to finish the game despite the start. While he was once regularly compared to Kohli for his consistency and ability to anchor an innings, his inability to close out some crucial matches has quickly thrust him into the limelight.Babar led Peshawar Zalmi to their highest ever run chase against Hyderabad Kingsmen on 8 April, scoring 43 off 37 balls, nearly 30% of the target. However, a related trend in late 2025 and early 2026 saw him register four ducks in five T20Is of over 180 targets, further fueling the debate about his full potential.
