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Babar Azam's Fierce Move In 2024 Saw Him Arrest Virat Kohli Fans For 'Zimbabar' Chants

Soumyajit Dutta

Babar Azam angry at a fan [Source: Crickaith/YouTube.com]Babar Azam angry at a fan [Source: Crickaith/YouTube.com]

Back in 2024 during PSL 9, Pakistan’s batting star Babar Azam found himself at the centre of an unusual showdown, not with the opposition on the field, but with trolls off it. 

The trigger? The derogatory nickname “Zimbabar”, a jibe repeatedly hurled at him by alleged Virat Kohli fans from Pakistan. Babar, visibly frustrated, reacted in a way that quickly became the talk of cricket fans online.

Babar Went Crazy After Hearing Zimbabar Chants

As per a viral video from the YouTube channel Crickaith, Babar was seated in the dugout watching a game when a young fan in the stands began loudly chanting “Zimbabar.” The constant taunt caught the batter’s attention, and he turned his head sharply towards the heckler in anger.

In a moment of frustration, Babar even mimicked throwing a water bottle at the abuser and looked ready to confront him face-to-face. Things escalated further when, according to the video, Babar Azam instructed police to track down the troll. 

The boy was reportedly grabbed by the collar, though it remains unclear whether he was formally detained. While the authenticity of the “arrest” claim is not verified, one thing is certain that Babar’s reaction was raw, unfiltered, and showed just how much the trolling had gotten under his skin.

Why Fans Call Babar, “Zimbabar”?

The nickname has a rather unfair origin. Following Pakistan’s early exit from the 2023 World Cup, Babar was under fire for poor form and leadership. Trolls latched onto his stellar record against weaker teams like Zimbabwe and mocked him as someone who only scores against minnows.

Thus, the term “Zimbabar” was born, used to belittle his struggles against stronger opposition and to undermine his otherwise world-class batting record.

Nevertheless, dismissing a player of Babar’s stature based solely on this narrative overlooks his many match-winning innings against top cricketing nations. Still, the dugout episode during PSL 9 showed that even the calmest cricketers have their breaking points. For Babar Azam, the chant of “Zimbabar” was one taunt too many.