Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has expressed his belief that Babar Azam, the current captain of the Pakistan cricket team, has the potential to surpass former Indian captain Virat Kohli in terms of achievements and success in his career. Imran Khan, who led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup, made this bold prediction for Babar Azam ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
While Babar is currently far behind Kohli in terms of runs scored in international cricket, with Kohli accumulating 25,322 runs in 497 matches, including 75 centuries, compared to Babar’s 12,270 runs in 251 matches, including 30 centuries, Imran Khan believes that Babar has the talent and ability to surpass Kohli’s achievements if he continues to perform consistently.
Imran Khan’s statement came during a conversation with a local sports journalist, where he expressed his opinion that Virat Kohli and Babar Azam belong to the same class of cricketers. Although admitting that he hasn’t closely followed recent cricket, Imran Khan stated that from what he has seen, Babar Azam has the potential to excel and surpass Kohli in the future.
Speaking to a local sports journalist, as quoted by Cricket Pakistan, Imran Khan said: “I haven’t recently seen cricket, but I believe that Virat Kohli and Babar Azam belong to the same class. Babar Azam can easily surpass Virat Kohli. He is that good, from what I have seen.”
Babar Azam’s recent performances during the New Zealand tour of Pakistan further support Imran Khan’s praise. Babar showcased his batting prowess by accumulating 276 runs in five ODIs, including a century and two half-centuries, helping Pakistan win the series 4-1. In the five-match T20I series, which ended in a 2-2 draw, Babar scored an impressive unbeaten 101 runs.
‘My Relationship With Dhoni And Virat Kohli…’, Gautam Gambhir’s Bold Statement After The Verbal Fight In LSG vs RCB Game
As Babar Azam continues to lead the Pakistan cricket team and showcase his skills on the international stage, fans, and cricket enthusiasts will closely watch his progress and see if he can fulfill Imran Khan’s prediction of surpassing the achievements of Virat Kohli. Only time will tell if Babar can reach the heights set by one of the modern-day greats of the game.