Babar scored only five runs in IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 clash.
The ongoing comparison between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam came under the spotlight again after India’s dominating 61-run win over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026. Former India wicketkeeper and current RCB batting mentor Dinesh Karthik added fuel to this debate with his sharp comments.
Speaking at Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik did not hold back while discussing Babar Azam’s dismissal and lack of game awareness. He called his comparison with Kohli “unfair” and highlighted a major difference in temperament. Karthik noted that Babar’s early-innings slog showed he felt pressure—a scenario where he can’t imagine Kohli playing such an irresponsible shot.
“There has been a comparison which I find a bit unfair. I cannot imagine Virat Kohli playing that shot that early in the innings,” said Karthik. “That absolute wild slog from Babar, show he is under pressure to keep up with the run rate. It’s the shot that goes against the grain of what he does. That is submission. Kohli absorbs pressure, understands the moment, and has the courage to take the game deep. That’s what makes greatness.”
Pakistan’s another heavy defeat against India in Colombo marked their eighth defeat in nine T20 World Cup matches against India and was their worst ever in the format. A match around which there was a lot of debate and chatter going on, and what was supposed to be a close match, it turned out to be a one-sided affair and a complete surrender from Pakistan batters after India’s aggressive batting, particularly from Ishan Kishan, dismantled their spin-heavy bowling attack.
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The statistical difference between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam in India-Pakistan T20 matches is clear. Since his 68 in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Babar Azam has scored 10, 14, 0, 13, and 5 against India, that’s only 42 runs in five innings at 8.4 average and a strike rate of just 113.51.
In contrast, Virat Kohli has scored 181 runs in four T20Is against Pakistan at an average of 60.33, including his memorable innings at the MCG in the T20 World Cup 2022.
In the T20 World Cup 2026, Babar Azam, who is the leading run-getter in T20I cricket, has managed only 66 runs in three games at a torrid 22 average and 115.78 strike rate, without a single fifty. This highlights a significant issue in the Pakistan batting lineup. Since the T20 World Cup 2024, Babar has scored 426 runs in 19 innings at 26.62 average, but what makes it worse is his strike rate of 120.
In his maiden BBL appearance, the right-hander scored 202 runs in 11 games, but his strike rate was a poor 103.06, which is truly unacceptable in modern-day T20 cricket. Hence, his repeated low scores and poor strike rates raise concerns.
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