Comparisons between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli were once frequent in discussions surrounding modern T20 batting. That comparison had receded during a period of modest returns for Babar, but his latest century in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has revived it from a statistical perspective rather than a qualitative one.
In the PSL qualifier held in Karachi, Babar Azam, captain of Peshawar Zalmi, produced an innings of 103 runs from 59 balls against Islamabad United. His performance guided his team to a 70-run victory and secured their place in the tournament final. Babar was named Player of the Match for his contribution.
With this century, Babar has drawn level with both Kohli and Abhishek Sharma in terms of the highest number of T20 centuries scored in a single country. Prior to this match, Kohli and Abhishek jointly held the record, each having scored eight centuries in India. Babar, by reaching his eighth T20 century on Pakistani soil, now shares that record.
Babar has also moved to the top of another statistical category. He now holds the record for the most T20 centuries as a captain. Before this innings, he was level with Faf du Plessis on eight centuries as captain. His latest hundred was his ninth in that capacity, placing him alone at the top of this list. Overall, Babar’s tally of T20 centuries has reached 13.
In PSL history, Babar has also equalled the record for the most centuries in the competition. He now has four centuries, matching Usman Khan. However, there is a difference in the number of innings taken to achieve this milestone: Usman scored his four centuries in 35 innings, whereas Babar required 108 innings.
Babar’s form in the current PSL season has been notable. Across 10 innings, he has accumulated 588 runs, including two centuries. This total equals the highest number of runs scored in a single PSL season, previously achieved only once—by Fakhar Zaman, who made 588 runs in 13 innings during the 2022 edition. With Peshawar Zalmi advancing to the final, Babar has the opportunity to surpass this record, as his team still has at least one match remaining.
The key statistical comparisons are outlined below:
| Category | Player | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| T20 centuries in one country | Virat Kohli | 8 | In India |
| T20 centuries in one country | Abhishek Sharma | 8 | In India |
| T20 centuries in one country | Babar Azam | 8 | In Pakistan |
| T20 centuries as captain | Babar Azam | 9 | Highest |
| T20 centuries as captain | Faf du Plessis | 8 | Second |
| PSL centuries | Babar Azam | 4 | 108 innings |
| PSL centuries | Usman Khan | 4 | 35 innings |
| Most runs in PSL season | Fakhar Zaman | 588 | 13 innings (2022) |
| Most runs in PSL season | Babar Azam | 588 | 10 innings (ongoing season) |
Following the match, Babar stated at the presentation ceremony: “It feels like I am starting to return to my best form. I am trying to keep things simple and trust my ability. I am focusing on understanding the demands of the pitch, how to handle specific bowlers, and when to be aggressive, and then executing my game plan accordingly.”