In the cricketing world, where every move is scrutinised and every run is celebrated, all eyes were set on Babar Azam when Pakistan took on Sri Lanka in Asia Cup's Super Four clash against Sri Lanka for a spot in the coveted final. The victor of the match will set a final date against Rohit Sharma's Team India.
Babar Azam, who inaugurated Pakistan's journey in the Asia Cup with an electrifying century, has since grappled with maintaining his momentum in the crucial stages of this premier tournament. On the flip side, in the much-hyped Super 4 match against arch-rivals India, Babar's performance dimmed, while Virat Kohli's dazzling century became the highlight, driving India to a substantial victory in the rain-affected game. Babar had the opportunity to make it up in the clash against Sri Lanka on September 14, Thursday, but yet again he failed to click and returned to pavilion after scoring mere 29 off 35.
Keeping his Asia Cup's failure in last couple of matches aside, the rising stature of Babar in global cricket has breathed new life into the 'Kohli versus Babar' debate, with fans and experts alike dissecting their skills and records. Matthew Hayden, the Australian cricket legend, provided his take on this hot topic, favoring Babar, especially in the One Day International (ODI) arena.
During the Star Sports show Game Plan, Hayden lavished praise on Babar, emphasising his resilience and aptitude to bounce back. He stated, "Babar Azam is a champion. He comes back from these things time and time again because that's what champions do."
Elaborating on their comparison at similar career junctures, Hayden revealed, "When you think about the statistical comparison at the same stage, Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam, Babar Azam is actually leading that shoot-out match."
Given the high stakes at the Asia Cup, the question arises: who among Babar and Kohli is dominating the batting leaderboards? Hayden was confident in Babar's ability, not just as a skipper but also as the linchpin of Pakistan's batting order.
"Babar is central not only because he is the captain but he is absolutely central in terms of the talent of that batting unit," he affirmed. To lay down the numbers, while Kohli boasts an average of 64.50 with 129 runs in 4 matches, Babar has managed to clock 207 runs. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma, India's captain, has emerged as the top run-scorer with 194 runs in this edition of Asia Cup.
The unfolding of the Asia Cup will surely add more chapters to the Kohli vs Babar narrative, with both cricketers aiming to prove their batting prowess in the tournament.
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