India men’s cricket team captain Virat Kohli, whom many hail as the best batsman of this generation, is a nightmare to many bowlers. Getting him out has remained the main priority of his opponents over the years but Kohli has still managed to cruise his way to greatness.
However, yesteryear’s speedster Shoaib Akhtar has given the bowlers a hint to get Kohli back into the pavilion before he wreaks havoc. He revealed that taking the ball away from the right-hander would be key to succeed against him.
Speaking in a live session on Instagram with a Pakistani host, Akhtar said, “If I was bowling, I would go wider of the crease and pitch the ball up and shape it away from him in order to make him drive.”
“If that does not work, I will bowl him at 150 [kph] and he will get out,” he further added.
Meanwhile, Akhtar has initiated a mild controversy by proposing a three-match ODI series between India and Pakistan to raise funds for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You are bound to get massive viewership for the games. For the first time, both countries will play for each other. And whatever funds are generated through this can be donated equally to the government of India and Pakistan to fight this pandemic,” Akhtar had said as quoted by PTI.
However, his claims were gently dismissed by Indian legends Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar. While the 1983 World Cup-winning captain said India have enough money to overcome the crisis, Gavaskar joked that there were more chances for snowfall to happen in Lahore than an India-Pakistan series.
The World’s fastest bowlers, though, got back to both the Indian legends and stood firm on his points.
To Kapil he said, “I don’t think Kapil bhai understood what I was trying to say. Everyone is going to be trapped economically. This is the time to put our heads together and generate revenues. I’m talking about the larger perspective, about economic reforms.”
For Gavaskar, the world’s fastest bowler had a surprise as he showed him a snowy Lahore to suggest that anything is possible.