There isn't the slightest doubt that Pakistan's Babar Azam is one of the best batsmen in the world currently and especially so, in the limited overs formats.
And the Pakistan skipper, who is turning up for Colombo Strikers in the Lanka Premier League, has reinforced his status as one of the pre-eminent batsmen in world cricket as he smashed the 10th T20 hundred of his career when he guided the Strikers to victory over Galle Titans on Monday.
The hundred has now left Babar only behind the self-styled 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle, who has a whopping 22 hundreds in T20s.
What the hundred signifies here for Indian cricket fans is the real question. It is no secret that Babar is the fulcrum of the Pakistan batting machine and his coming to peak form ahead of the crucial Asia Cup and the World Cup would be taken note of by Indian team and its fans.
The Pakistan batting superstar has been vocal about his preparation for the Asia Cup and is using the LPL as the launch pad for his exploits at the continental event.
With India and Pakistan expected to lock horns in the Asia Cup atleast twice and maybe thrice if they make it to the final, the Babar factor will be part of India's plans.
They say great players have a tremendous sense of occasion and it's that particular aspect that distinguishes the great from the good.
The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli and the list goes on and on. They all had a great sense of occasion and would rise and shine when the occasion demanded the most.
Babar is on the path to greatness and the cricketing world is in full acknowledgement of that.
But for the Indian cricket team and its fans, they would be hoping the Indian bowling attack would have the better of him in the Asia Cup and more importantly, at the ODI World Cup.
Bumrah vs Babar
Jasprit Bumrah will be leading the Indian team in the three-match T20I series in Ireland this month and is expected to feature in the Asia Cup as well.
It is going to make for a mouth-watering contest in Sri Lanka when a fit-again Bumrah runs in full flow to bowl against the supremely talented Babar.
It will be India-Pakistan cricket at its most exhilarating best when the two 'Big Bs' look to go one up against each other.
Excitement could possibly peak when Bumrah blasts away from the blocks and strikes those booming yorkers at a waiting Babar at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14th. With the frenzy of Indo-Pak rivalry at the World Cup in the background, it is surely going to make for some insane spectacle.
Babar-Kohli bragging rights
For all Pakistan fans, who are looking for bragging rights ahead of the Asia Cup and World Cup, Babar has given them a perfect gift.
The comparison with Kohli has been unending, although unfair. However, with this hundred, Babar is statistically ahead of Kohli, atleast in the T20 hundreds list.
Kohli has just eight hundreds in T20 cricket in comparison to Babar's ten but Kohli is a modern-day colossus across formats. Babar has a long way to go before he gets there, although he has all the potential to do so.
With the India-Pakistan cricketing clashes lined up in the next few months, Indian and Pakistani fans on social media will get busy propping up their favourite icons.
Cricket is the real winner.
