Babar led Peshawar Zalmi to their highest-ever successful run chase v Hyderabad Kingsmen on April 8.
After winning the toss, Zalmi chose to field first and limited the Hyderabad Kingsmen to a modest total of 145. During the chase, Babar led the innings with 43 off 37 balls but was dismissed before the game could be won. Despite his departure, Zalmi retained their nerve to score a thrilling victory on the final ball.
A Pakistani journalist asked Babar about criticism of his finishing skills during the post-match press conference, comparing him to India's Virat Kohli.
“There are a lot of expectations from you… You carry the innings but don’t finish games. You’re often compared to Virat Kohli… Do you think this comparison is fair?” the journalist asked.
But Babar quickly ended the comparison by cutting off the inquiry in the middle.
“Khatam kar dein aap. Jis wajah se aap sawal kar rahe hain, chhor dein aap... Maine bahut matches finish kiye hain, aapko lagta nhii hai par kiye hain.' (Keep these things to yourself. End the comparison and move on. It’s your misconception that I have not finished matches," Babar snapped at the journo.
Babar Azam has been constantly compared to Virat Kohli ever since his gained fame after his Pakistan debut in 2015. However, he has faced criticisms for his performances when it comes to batting second and chasing targets.
He has, many times, struggled to finish matches for Pakistan, despite taking time and balls in the middle and getting a start. On the other hand, Virat Kohli has earned the reputation for being one of the best finishers in white-ball cricket.
On April 8, Babar led Peshawar Zalmi to their most successful run chase ever against Hyderabad Kingsmen, scoring 43 off 37 balls, or almost 30% of the goal.
He did, however, record four ducks in five T20I chases of 180+ targets in late 2025 and early 2026, which raised concerns about his finishing abilities.