Virat Kohli fans remember Pakistan captain Babar Azam as one of the very few who stood up for King Kohli while the former was going through a lean phase in his career. When many asked for his removal from the Indian team, Kohli received unwavering support from his Pakistani counterpart.
Now, it seems like Babar Azam now needs people around him to boost his morale as the batsman, who was the leading run-getter in T20 World Cup 2021, has been struggling to score this time.
It’s none other than Pakistani legend Wasim Akram, who has come in Babar’s support this time. He drew comparison with Virat Kohli who, according to Akram, was out of touch for a year and was criticised by people in India.
While calling Babar a “class player”, the legendary former cricketer believes that the Pakistani skipper needs “one good innings”. “Probably he put pressure on himself because obviously for the standards he has already set for himself after scoring so many runs in the last 3-4 years across formats. As a sportsman, you do compete with yourself,” Akram said while speaking to A Sports.
Also Read: Stay strong, Virat: Pakistan captain Babar Azam backs out-of-form Kohli
In order for Pakistan to go to the semifinals with a victory in their last group match against Bangladesh on November 6, the squad will need their skipper to step up. Babar has struggled since the Asia Cup in September, and his performance in the T20 World Cup 2022 represents a low point, having scored only 14 runs in four innings – including a duck and three single-digit scores.
Kohli, during his struggling times, was slammed by many – including former cricket Kapil Dev. Due to Virat’s prolonged rough patch, the former India skipper suggested that Virat Kohli would not be as important in T20Is.
Kohli, however, received support from Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. Rohit referred to Kohli as “a great batter”, saying that a cricketer of his calibre does not require any confidence from anyone. The captain of England, Jos Buttler, backed Kohli as well, saying it is important to keep in mind that like every cricketer, Kohli can turn in a few subpar games before finding his form again.
Also Read: Virat Kohli ‘all-time great’, Sourav Ganguly says after India’s thrilling win
Virat Kohli eventually made a magnificent comeback in the T20 World Cup 2022. Virat contributed to India’s victory over Pakistan in a nail-biting final over in Melbourne with an unbeaten 82.
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More
Less
For all the latest world News Click Here
