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“Virat Kohli was chase master, Babar Azam has mastered that art": Shoaib Akhtar

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MenInG

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New one....

==

Shoaib Akhtar praised Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam after a remarkable century against England in the second T20I game of the seven-match series at the National Stadium in Karachi. The Pakistani batter scored 110 not out and forged an unbeaten partnership with Mohammad Rizwan who scored 88 not out in the match.

The win of Pakistan in the second match levelled the series at 1-1 and both the teams will look to win the next match. After the important victory, Shoaib Akhtar revealed what Babar Azam has learned from former Indian captain Virat Kohli. He compared his style of chasing the big totals to the star Indian batter.

“Virat Kohli was chase master, Babar Azam has mastered that art,” said Akhtar on his YouTube channel.

England scored a total of 199 runs in 20 overs and the hosts chased the target without losing a wicket in just 19.3 overs. Shoaib Akhtar said, “This is what Pakistan requires the run and strike rates.”

He added, “Both the openers, especially Babar Azam. He showed once again, why is no 1 player of the world. When he scores quickly, he makes life easier for Rizwan. They complemented each other.”

Shoaib Akhtar also said that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should continue their top performance. “Strike Rate is very important. Yes, you can’t maintain this strike rate in every match, but make sure that you leave the middle order some space so that they don’t have to chase with require run rate going above 13,” concluded Shoaib Akhtar.

Pakistan will play the third match of the series in Karachi on Friday.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...-from-virat-kohli-pakistan-vs-england-1043592
 
Virat Kohli’s hundreds while chasing (ODIs) = 26

Babar Azam’s total hundreds in international cricket = 26

Shoaib Akhtar should hold his ears and ask for forgiveness for comparing Babar and Kohli.

As a player, Shoaib is not fit to tie Kohli’s shoelaces and now he has the audacity to compare Babar to the king.

Kohli is leagues above any batsman Pakistan has every produced and Babar has a long way to go before he can establish himself as the best Pakistani batsman of all time.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mamoon said:
Virat Kohli’s hundreds while chasing (ODIs) = 26

Babar Azam’s total hundreds in international cricket = 26

Shoaib Akhtar should hold his ears and ask for forgiveness for comparing Babar and Kohli.

As a player, Shoaib is not fit to tie Kohli’s shoelaces and now he has the audacity to compare Babar to the king.

Kohli is leagues above any batsman Pakistan has every produced and Babar has a long way to go before he can establish himself as the best Pakistani batsman of all time.
Click to expand...

You got triggered pretty quick there.

There are 2 ways to look at that statement. There is the way you have seen it and got triggered pretty bad.

The other way of looking at it is that for the past decade Virat has been known across cricketing world as someone who can chase anything! His work did his talking. Now Virat will not forever remain chase master as he would retire but cricket would carry on. So Shoaib here is saying Babar might pick that chasemaster title up from Virat in coming year. What's so wrong to get triggered in here? And who is comparing Babar with Virat here?
 
MenInG said:
New one....

==

Shoaib Akhtar praised Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam after a remarkable century against England in the second T20I game of the seven-match series at the National Stadium in Karachi. The Pakistani batter scored 110 not out and forged an unbeaten partnership with Mohammad Rizwan who scored 88 not out in the match.

The win of Pakistan in the second match levelled the series at 1-1 and both the teams will look to win the next match. After the important victory, Shoaib Akhtar revealed what Babar Azam has learned from former Indian captain Virat Kohli. He compared his style of chasing the big totals to the star Indian batter.

“Virat Kohli was chase master, Babar Azam has mastered that art,” said Akhtar on his YouTube channel.

England scored a total of 199 runs in 20 overs and the hosts chased the target without losing a wicket in just 19.3 overs. Shoaib Akhtar said, “This is what Pakistan requires the run and strike rates.”

He added, “Both the openers, especially Babar Azam. He showed once again, why is no 1 player of the world. When he scores quickly, he makes life easier for Rizwan. They complemented each other.”

Shoaib Akhtar also said that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should continue their top performance. “Strike Rate is very important. Yes, you can’t maintain this strike rate in every match, but make sure that you leave the middle order some space so that they don’t have to chase with require run rate going above 13,” concluded Shoaib Akhtar.

Pakistan will play the third match of the series in Karachi on Friday.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...-from-virat-kohli-pakistan-vs-england-1043592
Click to expand...

not as yet... Babar only getting there where Kholi has been for a good part of 7 years...

Kholi is on a decline... Babar is rising ... they have crossed over so currently Babar trumps Kholi anywhere any format but to achieve the peak of Kholi, Babar has a while to go but he is Usian-Bolting there....
 
Mamoon said:
Virat Kohli’s hundreds while chasing (ODIs) = 26

Babar Azam’s total hundreds in international cricket = 26

Shoaib Akhtar should hold his ears and ask for forgiveness for comparing Babar and Kohli.

As a player, Shoaib is not fit to tie Kohli’s shoelaces and now he has the audacity to compare Babar to the king.

Kohli is leagues above any batsman Pakistan has every produced and Babar has a long way to go before he can establish himself as the best Pakistani batsman of all time.
Click to expand...


You said many times that Babar doesn't have to do much to become the greatest Pakistani batsman of all time since the bar set by Pakistan batters is too low.

Now, all of a sudden, you are claiming that Babar has a long way to go before he can become the best batsman to out from Pakistan.

Make up your mind instead of going to your cave everytime Babar or Pakistan do well and then coming out to ease your frustration.
 
Shoaib doesn't have a middle ground.

He is either bashing players and almost getting personal with his stupid analysis, or he is going to the other extreme while praising them to the moon.
 
Virat Kohli was chase master but Babar is master.
 
And Misbah wrote the Art of Chasing!


Sorry :yk couldn't help myself :P

People shouldn't take Shoaib seriously. He is who he is!
 
Successful T20I Run chases:

1540 - Virat Kohli
1195 - David Warner
1193 - Rohit Sharma
1018 - Babar Azam
 
In T20s, chasing is an easy job as conditions are easier and having a target in mind helps.

A great chaser is one who chases down totals in ODIs and in that department, there is only one king. :vk
 
Not was the chase master - Kohli still is the chase master.

Virat Kohli when India win batting second in ODIs:

Innings 92
Runs 5517
Not outs 30
Average 88.98
Strike-rate 97.13
Hundreds 22
Fifties 23
 
Visaal-E-Yaar said:
Gill is pure class, i see him as captain of IND in near future.
Click to expand...

India is in transition state. Few more guys will join Gill. At this point they will be looking Rishab Pant as the captain once he is back. Among the rookies Yash Dhull is being fast tracked as captain. He won the under-19 world cup last year. At the age of 19 he was captaining guys like Ishant sharma for Delhi team. Then recently captained Emerging Asian team for India. Jaiswal has no experience yet. But a gun player. May be he will be the VC.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
India is in transition state. Few more guys will join Gill. At this point they will be looking Rishab Pant as the captain once he is back. Among the rookies Yash Dhull is being fast tracked as captain. He won the under-19 world cup last year. At the age of 19 he was captaining guys like Ishant sharma for Delhi team. Then recently captained Emerging Asian team for India. Jaiswal has no experience yet. But a gun player. May be he will be the VC.
Click to expand...
Do you think pant ahead of gill?
 
Kohli is the ultimate batsman in chases.

He's perfected it to a science and his ability to soak up pressure is generational. Babar is quality but not even close to that level and lacks the skillset to switch gears or play spin properly when in duress.
 
Kohli on his last legs is still comfortably better than most batsmen who have ever played the game.
 
Saj said:
Not was the chase master - Kohli still is the chase master.

Virat Kohli when India win batting second in ODIs:

Innings 92
Runs 5517
Not outs 30
Average 88.98
Strike-rate 97.13
Hundreds 22
Fifties 23
Click to expand...


Overall Kohli has phnominal numbers as you pointed out. But I think, Shoaib Akhtar is pointing out to the recent stats.

Even if we look at last 5 years... Babar has better numbers than Kohli.

1696852093033.png
 
Kohli was going through a very rough patch. It didn't matter batting first or second he hardly got any runs. Besides Kohli missed 17 one dayers in the last 2 years. Rohit missed 20 one dayers. Babar missed 0 one dayers. He plays every match even against Netherlands. So using raw stat will give you misleading numbers. But two of the most memorable chases in recent times came from Kohli. One at MCG in world T20. One here. Both came under extremely difficult situation.
 
In 2023 India has chased totals like 105 (NZ), 181 (Aus), 215 (SL) with Kohli. Kohli failed there. Nobody gives a damn about that. India won all 3 with others easily. One that matters yesterday he delivered.
 
Don't compare Babar to Kohli. There is nothing to compare here at all. Kohli again proved yesterday what a brilliant chaser he is compared to "can't handle the pressure" Babar.
 
cricketjoshila said:
16 innings out of 92. Extremely big sample.
Click to expand...
You did not notice the time frame - 5 years??

Fakhar Zaman has failed in only last 11 innings since his 180* vs NZ and everybody is calling for his head.
Extremly small sample of 11 innings or ...? Can please try explaining that to the fans who want Fakhar out of the team in the next game?

1696855190172.png
 
W63L35 said:
You did not notice the time frame - 5 years??

Fakhar Zaman has failed in only last 11 innings since his 180* vs NZ and everybody is calling for his head.
Extremly small sample of 11 innings or ...? Can please try explaining that to the fans who want Fakhar out of the team in the next game?

View attachment 137326
Click to expand...

16 innings in 5 years and 11 innings in 6 months.

See the difference.

If this was 16 innings in a year, you would have a point.

Now now drift king, lets not drift. Shall we.

Point is 16 innings over 5 years isn't a big sample by any means.

When the actual sample is 92 innings.
 
cricketjoshila said:
16 innings in 5 years and 11 innings in 6 months.

See the difference.

If this was 16 innings in a year, you would have a point.

Now now drift king, lets not drift. Shall we.

Point is 16 innings over 5 years isn't a big sample by any means.

When the actual sample is 92 innings.
Click to expand...
Only if you had read the very first comment in my first post.

1696857424695.png
 
W63L35 said:
Overall Kohli has phnominal numbers as you pointed out. But I think, Shoaib Akhtar is pointing out to the recent stats.

Even if we look at last 5 years... Babar has better numbers than Kohli.

View attachment 137321
Click to expand...


Breaking down last 5 year's record by the opposition....

1696858852814.png
 
I don't think Babar has still mastered that art. He needs to play at least a couple of match innings while chasing in this World Cup to be in serious contention of mastering this art.
 
Kohli is Tendulkar & Dhoni and Ponting & Bevan rolled into one.

Simply the GOAT ODI batsman. No one comes close in my opinion.
 
Mamoon said:
Kohli is Tendulkar & Dhoni and Ponting & Bevan rolled into one.

Simply the GOAT ODI batsman. No one comes close in my opinion.
Click to expand...
What argument can possibly be made for Kohli over Tendulkar and Vivian Richards for the GOAT of ODI cricket?

Both Tendulkar and Vivian Richards have incredible records, like Kohli. But, unlike Kohli, both Tendulkar and Vivian Richards have incredible records in ODI Knockout matches - the most important ones. Additionally, Tendulkar faced better bowling than Kohli did and Vivian Richards was so much greater than his contemporaries - he was further ahead of his peers than perhaps any ODI batsmen ever has been.

Vivian Richards in ODI Knockout Matches: 50 @ 83 SR
Tendulkar in ODI Knockout Matches: 52.84 @ 85.65 SR
Kohli in ODI Knockout Matches: 28.83 @ 82.18 SR

You could easily make the argument that Kohli is the biggest choker in the history of ODI tournaments if you were simply looking at the difference between a players career average and what they average in knockout rounds. The other two GOAT candidates - Vivian Richards and Tendulkar did not just play good in knockout matches, but they even elevated their game compared to their career numbers. Being able to rise to the occasion is one of the most important metrics of judging greatness in any sport. No one would care about Michael Jordan if he continuously failed in the finals.
 
There's a wonderful calmness and composure about Kohli when chasing a lot of the time.

It's like, don't worry what the score says, I'm out here and I'm in control and I will take my team to the finish line or close to it.

30 times he's been not out in wins for India when chasing in ODIs.
 
Saj said:
There's a wonderful calmness and composure about Kohli when chasing a lot of the time.

It's like, don't worry what the score says, I'm out here and I'm in control and I will take my team to the finish line or close to it.

30 times he's been not out in wins for India when chasing in ODIs.
Click to expand...
This is true, but yesterday was anything but calm. He was fishing at every ball outside the off stump, even those that weren't swinging. He also played a horrible shot on the ball that was eventually dropped his balance was horrible and his head was facing downwards.
 
That famous Hobart knock against Srilanka got everyone to notice. India needed to beat SL in 38 overs to give themselves a chance to be in the final. Must win and also win with good rate. Kohli unleashed a series of breathtaking shots against Malinga picking 24 runs in one over. This was way back in 2012. Tony Greig was commentating. It was that long. He is still it in 2023. We are comparing him with players who have very little sample. In the last 3 years he was so out of form that he was not even the best Indian player. You pick this window and compare him :)


 
jnaveen1980 said:
That famous Hobart knock against Srilanka got everyone to notice. India needed to beat SL in 38 overs to give themselves a chance to be in the final. Must win and also win with good rate. Kohli unleashed a series of breathtaking shots against Malinga picking 24 runs in one over. This was way back in 2012. Tony Greig was commentating. It was that long. He is still it in 2023. We are comparing him with players who have very little sample. In the last 3 years he was so out of form that he was not even the best Indian player. You pick this window and compare him :)


Click to expand...

Malinga was in his prime in this game and he had zero answers to Kohlis sublime off and leg side play. He just blindly kept slinging it in ball after ball, no bouncers attempted at all. Malinga was just rattled that day.
 
160KPH said:
What argument can possibly be made for Kohli over Tendulkar and Vivian Richards for the GOAT of ODI cricket?

Both Tendulkar and Vivian Richards have incredible records, like Kohli. But, unlike Kohli, both Tendulkar and Vivian Richards have incredible records in ODI Knockout matches - the most important ones. Additionally, Tendulkar faced better bowling than Kohli did and Vivian Richards was so much greater than his contemporaries - he was further ahead of his peers than perhaps any ODI batsmen ever has been.

Vivian Richards in ODI Knockout Matches: 50 @ 83 SR
Tendulkar in ODI Knockout Matches: 52.84 @ 85.65 SR
Kohli in ODI Knockout Matches: 28.83 @ 82.18 SR

You could easily make the argument that Kohli is the biggest choker in the history of ODI tournaments if you were simply looking at the difference between a players career average and what they average in knockout rounds. The other two GOAT candidates - Vivian Richards and Tendulkar did not just play good in knockout matches, but they even elevated their game compared to their career numbers. Being able to rise to the occasion is one of the most important metrics of judging greatness in any sport. No one would care about Michael Jordan if he continuously failed in the finals.
Click to expand...
Kohli can do everything they can but neither of them could chase and finish games like he can.

Cricket has seen great top-order batsmen and great finishers but he is the only one who can do both and that puts him in a unique category.

If he improves his ODI World Cup knockout record, he will only increase the distance between himself and the next best ODI batsman in history. He is already clear of everyone else.

In other words, I will not pick anyone above Kohli as a batsman in my ODI team.
 
Lol at "mastered"...

Babar has just two top quality knocks in successful run chases -


1. Against NZ in the 2019 world cup
2. Against South Africa in 2021 against their full strength bowling attack

Rest all are a bunch of run of the mill bashings of second grade attacks , West Indies and a whole lot of 30 not outs which adds up to the average.

People here need to learn how to dive deeper into the stats instead of just taking them on face value.
 
160KPH said:
Vivian Richards in ODI Knockout Matches: 50 @ 83 SR
Tendulkar in ODI Knockout Matches: 52.84 @ 85.65 SR
Kohli in ODI Knockout Matches: 28.83 @ 82.18 SR
Click to expand...

Kohli has choked a lot, still a great batsman but tis a chink in his armor.
 
Top 5 players in ODI history in 350 plus chases. Min 2

Name​
Matches​
Runs​
Avge​
Strike rate​
Centuries​
Kohli​
3​
336​
336​
151​
3​
Rohit​
2​
220​
110​
104​
1​
Jason Roy​
2​
199​
99.5​
142​
1​
Dhawan​
3​
196​
65​
99​
1​
Bairstow​
2​
162​
81​
126​
1​
 
Mamoon said:
Kohli can do everything they can but neither of them could chase and finish games like he can.

Cricket has seen great top-order batsmen and great finishers but he is the only one who can do both and that puts him in a unique category.

If he improves his ODI World Cup knockout record, he will only increase the distance between himself and the next best ODI batsman in history. He is already clear of everyone else.

In other words, I will not pick anyone above Kohli as a batsman in my ODI team.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, I will not disagree with you, I suppose it just depends on what you value more.

I think with Vivian Richards in particular you get the consistent dominance and destructive batting performances but also winning World Cup performances - something Kohli has not given. If this year, Kohli managed to have a dominant run in the knockout matches and led India to a World Cup, I think his argument for GOAT is much stronger.
 
RexRex said:
Kohli has choked a lot, still a great batsman but tis a chink in his armor.
Click to expand...
I agree, his other performances make up for it, but if you want to talk about the greatest of all time, why would you not select someone who has proven that they will carry your team during knockout matches in tournaments?
 
Kohli is a Bently and Babar is a Chrysler 300.

Simple as that. A poor man’s Bentley.
 
Mamoon said:
Virat Kohli’s hundreds while chasing (ODIs) = 26

Babar Azam’s total hundreds in international cricket = 26

Shoaib Akhtar should hold his ears and ask for forgiveness for comparing Babar and Kohli.

As a player, Shoaib is not fit to tie Kohli’s shoelaces and now he has the audacity to compare Babar to the king.

Kohli is leagues above any batsman Pakistan has every produced and Babar has a long way to go before he can establish himself as the best Pakistani batsman of all time.
Click to expand...
Woah brother I was not expecting this from you.
 
That earlier comment (and all those prior pro-India comments) were before Mamoon got abducted by aliens. After they returned him, he’s a changed man!
 
RizwanT20Champ said:
Babar is also much younger. It is another unfair comparison. At Babars age Kohli had a worse ODI record btw.
Click to expand...
What the heck are you about? If you want apples to apples comparision-

Kohli @ 30 yrs - 10232 ODI runs @ avg 59.83 with 38 centuries

Babar @30 yrs - 6083 ODI runs @ avg of 55.81 with 19 centuries

A simple ChatGPT query would do it!
 
Mockingbird said:
What the heck are you about? If you want apples to apples comparision-

Kohli @ 30 yrs - 10232 ODI runs @ avg 59.83 with 38 centuries

Babar @30 yrs - 6083 ODI runs @ avg of 55.81 with 19 centuries

A simple ChatGPT query would do it!
Click to expand...
compare after the same number of matches as Babar. Babar just reached 6k runs faster than Kohli.
 
Showing his mastery.

This man all locked in brother.

He gonna chase this down
 
CT 2025 semifinal against australia is epic run chase by kohli on difficult dubai pitch....Guy is 37 but still chasing here and there.
 
Mamoon said:
Virat Kohli’s hundreds while chasing (ODIs) = 26

Babar Azam’s total hundreds in international cricket = 26

Shoaib Akhtar should hold his ears and ask for forgiveness for comparing Babar and Kohli.

As a player, Shoaib is not fit to tie Kohli’s shoelaces and now he has the audacity to compare Babar to the king.

Kohli is leagues above any batsman Pakistan has every produced and Babar has a long way to go before he can establish himself as the best Pakistani batsman of all time.
Click to expand...
@Mamoon Do you take this back?
 
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