5 amazing similarities between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam's T20I stats

Former India captain Virat Kohli and former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam have been compared innumerable times over the last few years. There was a time in international cricket when both the star batters were on the top of their game and their fans were engaged in a tense battle on social media to prove who the best is.

Kohli (36) has so far featured in 123 Test matches and has scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with the aid of 30 hundreds and 31 half-centuries. As for Babar (30), he has 4,190 runs to his name from 57 Test matches at an average of 44.10, with nine tons and 29 half-centuries. Incidentally, both batters are going through an extremely lean patch in red-ball cricket.

Both Kohli and Babar have an excellent record in the one-day format. The Indian batter has featured in 295 matches and has amassed 13,906 runs at an average of 58.18 and a strike rate of 93.54, with a record 50 centuries and 72 half-centuries. Babar has played 123 ODIs and has 5,957 runs at an average of 56.73 and a strike rate of 88.21, with 19 hundreds and 34 fifties.

Interestingly, there are a few similarities between Kohli and Babar's numbers in the T20I format. Take a look.

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#1 Both Kohli and Babar have the same highest score

In an amazing coincidence, Kohli and Babar have the same highest score in the T20I format - 122. The only difference is that while the Indian batter was unbeaten, the former Pakistan skipper ended up being dismissed.

Kohli smashed 122* off only 61 balls against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup in Dubai in September 2022. With this knock, the right-handed batter registered his first three-figure score in international cricket in more than 1,000 days. The Indian star struck 12 fours and six sixes in his 90-minute stay at the crease. Team India scored 212-2 and won the game by 101 runs as Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed 5-4.

Babar's highest T20I score of 122 came against South Africa in Centurion in April 2021. The 30-year-old batter's brilliant knock came off only 59 balls and featured 15 fours and four sixes. Batting first, the Proteas had put up 203-5 on the board in their 20 overs. In the chase, Babar and Mohammad Rizwan (73* off 47) added 197 in just 17.4 overs. The stand was broken when Babar fell to Lizaad Williams.

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#2 Both have the same number of 50-plus scores

Virat Kohli retired from T20Is after the 2024 T20 World Cup. (Image Credits: Getty Images)

Both Kohli and Babar have the same number of 50-plus scores in T20Is - 39. They jointly hold the record for most 50-plus scores in the format. While Kohli has one century and 36 fifties to his name, Babar has notched up three tons and 36 fifties.

Apart from his 122* against Afghanistan, Kohli was unbeaten on 94 off 50 balls against West Indies in Hyderabad in December 2019. He also hit 90* off 55 balls against Australia in Adelaide in January 2016. Apart from his 122 against the Proteas, Babar scored 110* off 66 balls against England in Karachi in September 2022 and 101* off 58 balls against New Zealand in Lahore in April 2023.

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#3 Both batters have been dismissed for a duck the same number of times

Both Kohli and Babar have been dismissed for a duck seven times each in their respective T20I careers. Kohli was out for a golden duck twice - vs Afghanistan in Bengaluru in January 2024 and vs USA in New York in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Babar has also been dismissed for a golden duck on two occasions in T20Is. The first instance was registered against Afghanistan in Sharjah in September 2022 and the second against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup clash in Melbourne. Incidentally, he was run out for zero after facing one ball in a T20I against South Africa in Lahore in February 2021.

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#4 Both Kohli and Babar have played over 120 matches and have scored 4,000-plus runs

Babar Azam has a splendid record in T20Is. (Image Credits: Getty Images)

Both Kohli and Babar have played over 120 games in the T20I format and have scored over 4,000 runs. The Indian cricketer retired from T20Is after the Men in Blue triumphed in the World Cup last year. He ended his career with 4,188 runs from 125 matches at an average of 48.69 and an impressive strike rate of 137.04.

Shifting focus to Babar's stats in the T20I format, the Pakistan right-handed batter has featured in 128 matches, scoring 4,223 runs at an average of 39.83 and a strike rate of 129.22.

Apart from Babar and Kohli, Rohit Sharma is the only batter with 4,000-plus T20I runs. He ended his T20I career with 4,231 runs from 159 matches at an average of 32.05 and a strike rate of 140.89.

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#5 Both players have taken 50-plus catches

Both Kohli and Babar have taken more than 50 catches in T20Is. While the Indian cricketer ended his T20I career with 54 catches from 125 games, Babar has so far picked up 52 in 128 matches. Kohli is joint ninth on the list of players with the most catches by a non-keeper in T20Is, while Babar is joint 11th.