Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar backed Virat Kohli to perform against Pakistan in their next T20 World Cup 2024 match after failing against Ireland on Wednesday in New York.
Kohli came as an opener alongside skipper Rohit Sharma but became the victim of Ireland’s Mark Adair after just scoring a run on five balls.
Despite a disappointing start, Kohli, who finished as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 top-scorer with 741 runs, is backed to deliver against Pakistan in the upcoming match.
"Top batters like Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, and Joe Root have a relentless drive to perform. When they fail in one match, they are eager to make amends in the next. Their mindset is to score double the runs to compensate for any shortfall. So, he’s scored less against Ireland, he will aim to score big against Pakistan as that it will make up for the previous setback," said Gavaskar while talking on Star Sports.
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, Pakistan and India locked horns in a group-stage match at Australia’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Green Shirts, led by Babar Azam, were on the verge of victory but Kohli played one of the best innings of T20 World Cup history and won the match for his side by scoring 82 runs.
The 35-year-old has a history of performing against Pakistan in ICC events and once again, all eyes will be on him when both sides will lock horns in New York on June 9.
It is worth mentioning that the New York pitch has been criticised by cricket experts and is labelled “dangerous”.
The unpredictable drop-in wicket in New York has become a matter of concern among many teams. So far two matches have been played at the venue, and a total of 350 runs have been scored.
India, after their match against Ireland, also expressed concerns over the safety of their batters due to the unpredictable bounce of the pitch.
- Virat Kohli
