Babar Azam Rebukes Kohli Comparison After PSL Victory

Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam sharply rebuked a journalist's question drawing comparisons to India's Virat Kohli during a post-match press conference on Wednesday, following his team's tense four-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Pakistan Super League at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The win came in a low-scoring thriller, with Zalmi chasing a target of 146 runs. Opting to bowl first, Peshawar restricted Hyderabad to 145 in 18.2 overs, led by four-wicket hauls from Iftikhar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem. In the chase, Babar anchored the innings with 43 runs off 37 balls, including six fours, forming a key 49-run partnership for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis. Dismissed lbw by Hassan Khan in the 15th over when 30 runs were still needed off five overs, Babar left the lower order to navigate a tricky phase. Iftikhar Ahmed's late heroics, including a four and a six in the final over against Hunain Shah, sealed the victory on the last ball with a single from Aamer Jamal.

The match marked Babar's second appearance in the PSL season, where he has scored 82 runs at a strike rate of 126.15, with 10 boundaries and one six. In the opener, he made 39 off 28 balls in a...