Babar Azam shuts down journalist over Virat Kohli comparison

During the post-match press conference, a Pakistani journalist questioned Babar about criticism regarding his inability to close out games. When asked if the comparison to Kohli was fair, Babar interrupted to say, "I have finished many matches," expressing frustration with the repeated comparisons. Babar scored 43 off 37 balls in the win but departed before the end, yet Zalmi held their nerve to secure victory on the final delivery.

The incident highlights Babar's growing frustration as he faces scrutiny over his finishing skills, particularly after a period where he registered four ducks in five T20I run chases of 180-plus targets. Despite the criticism, he led Zalmi to their highest-ever successful chase in the Pakistan Super League 2026.