NEW DELHI: Babar Azam’s magnificent century lit up the PSL spotlight as Peshawar Zalmi cruised to a commanding 118-run victory. The innings drew admiration across the cricket fraternity, with former Pakistan players Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal offering praise—while also urging caution against assuming it automatically settles questions about Babar’s international form.
Basit Ali’s verdict on Babar’s innings
Basit Ali was particularly struck by the quality of Babar Azam’s batting and described the knock as among the very best he had seen in PSL cricket. He also pointed to a key element behind the success: the impact of Babar’s batting partnership with Kusal Mendis.
- Basit Ali singled out Babar’s century as one of the finest innings seen in the PSL.
- He highlighted the partnership with Kusal Mendis as a major factor in Babar’s success.
- Mendis contributed strongly in the same match, scoring 83 off 44 balls.
Kamran Akmal on the Babar–Mendis partnership
Kamran Akmal explained how the duo’s roles complement each other at crucial moments. He noted that when Mendis reached his century, Babar provided significant support—and in this instance, the script flipped with Babar scoring the hundred while Mendis backed him effectively.
- Kamran Akmal said the partnership works because support is provided in the opposite innings moment.
- He referenced that during Mendis’s hundred, Babar backed him strongly.
- He added that in this game, Babar struck the century and Mendis returned the favour with his own momentum.
- Kamran stated that this combination is suiting Peshawar Zalmi very well.
How Basit sees the partnership changing Babar’s freedom
Basit Ali further argued that Mendis’s presence has helped Babar play with greater ease. He suggested that, in recent seasons, Babar lacked a consistent batting partner, and that the current pairing has made a tangible difference to his approach.
- Basit said the partnership has allowed Babar to play more freely.
- He claimed that over the past two or three years, Babar often didn’t have a batter alongside him.
- Basit credited Mendis with making a “big difference.”
Praise with a warning: PSL form vs international cricket
Despite the enthusiasm, both analysts rejected the notion that this century is a direct answer to how Babar will perform on the international stage. Basit Ali drew a clear line between formats and competition levels, warning against blending PSL performance with expectations for international cricket.
- Basit Ali insisted there is a major difference between international cricket and the PSL.
- He said that if Babar produces even half of this level in international cricket, he would earn strong praise.
- Basit cautioned that PSL cannot be mixed with international comparisons.
- He argued that the bowling and the teams in the PSL are not of the same top-tier standard as international cricket.
Kamran Akmal on batting order and team impact
Kamran Akmal echoed the same theme, pointing to how the Pakistan batting environment can affect Babar’s rhythm. He suggested that the team’s batting line-up lacks a similar structure to what he sees in Peshawar’s setup, and that Babar’s position in the order—sometimes at four, sometimes at three—can be disruptive for both him and the side.
- Kamran said Pakistan’s batting line-up is not as well-matched as the one Babar has in this setup.
- He noted that Babar is sometimes promoted to four and at other times sent in at three.
- Kamran added that this shifting role “hurts him,” and it also hurts the team.
With the 118-run triumph putting Babar Azam’s class under the spotlight, the headlines may be loud—but Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal were united in their message: PSL brilliance should be appreciated on its own terms, not treated as an automatic verdict on international readiness.
