Summary Virat Kohli is a great player with great heart, said Mohammad Irfan.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Despite the arch-rivalry between Pakistan and India, cricketers from both countries don’t hesitate in showing respect for each other off the field and such a moment was witnessed recently when India skipper Virat Kohli praised Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Irfan, and both of them complimented him back.
Virat Kohli had termed Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Irfan as the two bowlers he would not want to face due to their lethal bowling and prefer to remain on non-striker’s end.
Mohammad Irfan took to Twitter and responded to Virat with a heart-warming reply saying, “What a gentleman @imVkohli is! Great player with a great heart. Prayers for you my friend. Hope that we play more often in grounds. #Respect”
What a gentleman @imVkohli is! Great player with a great heart. Prayers for you my friend. Hope that we play more often in grounds. #Respect https://t.co/ovKWuEM4TL
— Mohammad Irfan (@M_IrfanOfficial) November 6, 2017
Virat Kohli replied to the pacer and thanked him.
Thanks
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 6, 2017
Let it be known that Shoaib Akhtar had also responded to Virat’s comments earlier and wrote, “I was better off not bowling at all when #Kohli was batting.Jokes apart,he’s a gr8 batsman & bowling agnst him wud have been a gr8 contest.”
I was better off not bowling at all when #Kohli was batting.Jokes apart,he s a gr8 batsman & bowling agnst him wud have been a gr8 contest. pic.twitter.com/EHL32UpXrU
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 4, 2017
It is worth mentioning here that the India captain had mentioned Irfan and said, “Before the world cup match, our batting coach Sanjay Bangar bowled while standing on a one-foot-high stool to prepare for this guy.”
“The ball used to go from near the face,” continued Virat, “Yuvraj Singh and I were batting in Bangalore (Bengaluru) against him in a T20 match. I tried to pull him but couldn’t due to the bounce. Yuvraj asked me to cut him with the pace, I tried that but failed again. Yuvraj then asked me to come to the non-striker’s end.”
Kohli also said, “I’ve never faced Shoaib Akhtar, but I’ve seen him in a game in Dambulla against Pakistan. I got out, I couldn’t face him. But I saw him bowl, and he looked even at the later stages of his career very lethal.”
“At that time I felt batsmen would not have wanted to face him when he was at his peak,” added Kohli.
