Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam: Decoding their Asia Cup stats
The 2023 Asia Cup will get underway on August 30. The continental event has a rich history as it has hosted several high-profile games including many high-voltage India-Pakistan clashes. Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are the key batters of their respective sides and both will be instrumental to their sides' run at the event this year. Here we compare their Asia Cup stats.
Kohli brilliant, Babar struggles in ODI editions
The upcoming Asia Cup will be played in the 50-over format. Kohli has been sensational in the ODI events of the competition as he has smoked 613 runs in 11 games at 61.30. The tally includes three tons and a fifty. Babar has featured in just a solitary ODI Asia Cup event, in 2018. He managed just 156 runs in six games at 31.20.
Third-most centuries at the event
As mentioned, Kohli has returned with three ODI centuries at the event. Only Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (6) and Kumar Sangakkara (4) have smashed more ODI tons at the Asia Cup. Pakistan's Shoaib Malik is the only other batter with three hundreds at the event.
Highest score at Asia Cup
Kohli owns the highest individual score at the Asia Cup, 183 off 148 balls. It was recorded against none other than Pakistan in 2012. 18 and 5 read his other scores against the Men in Green at the event in ODIs. Babar has played two games against India at Asia Cup (ODIs). He recorded scores worth 47 and 9.
Here are their T20 records
Two editions of the Asia Cup have been played in the T20 format, in 2016 and 2022. Kohli is the leading run-scorer in these events with 429 runs in 10 games at an exceptional average of 85.80. He has smoked three fifties and a ton in this regard. Babar has managed just 68 runs in six games in this regard at 11.33.
Kohli's love affair against Pakistan
Kohli has thoroughly enjoyed playing against Pakistan as he owns 536 runs in 13 ODIs against them at 48.72. In T20Is, he has slammed 488 runs in 10 games against them at 81.33 (SR: 123.85). Meanwhile, Babar owns 158 runs in five ODIs against India at 31.60. His T20I record against the opposition reads 92 runs across four games, striking at 127.77.
A look at their overall record
With 12,898 runs in 275 ODIs at 57.32, Kohli is the fifth-highest run-getter in ODI cricket (100s: 46, 50s: 65). In T20Is, he owns 4,008 runs in 115 games at 52.74 (50s: 36, 100: 1). Babar has smoked 5,089 runs in 100 ODIs at 59.17 (50s: 26, 100: 16). He has played 104 T20Is, claiming 3,485 runs at 41.49 (50s: 30, 100: 3).
