Senior India batsman Virat Kohli admitted that he will have to be wary of Pakistan’s “impactful” bowlers in their upcoming clashes.
India and Pakistan will lock horns on Saturday in Pallekele for their Asia Cup 2023 Group A encounter. Such is the format that the two arch-rivals can potentially have three matches, including the final, in the Asia Cup. This will be a precursor for both teams ahead of the mega showdown in the World Cup 2023, in front of over 100,000 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Pakistan’s pace attack of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf is one of the best in the world – and even arguably the best fast bowling attack at the moment. Although India overcame this bowling in the 2022 T20 World Cup match last year the MCG, Virat Kohli had to play once in a lifetime kind of innings to take India over the line, and the challenge is only stiffer now with the trio gaining more experience.
You have to be at your absolute best to face them: Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli asserted that Pakistan’s bowling is their strength and he will need to be at his “absolute best” to tackle them. Along with the pace trio, the spin department is handled by Shadab and Nawaz.
“I feel bowling is their strength. And they’ve got some really impactful bowlers that can change the course of the game anytime based on their skill set. So you have to be at your absolute best to face them,” Virat Kohli told Star Sports.
Kohli himself has asserted his status as a giant of the game with good performances against Pakistan in ODIs.
In 13 ODI knocks against Pakistan, Virat Kohli has scored 536 runs at an average of 48 with 2 centuries -183 in the Asia Cup 2012 in Mirpur and 107 in the 2015 WC in Adelaide – and 2 fifties.
The 34-year-old has been in excellent touch this year: in 9 ODI knocks in 2023, Kohli has scored 427 runs at an average of 53 with 2 centuries and 1 fifty, with a best of 166*.
The last meeting between India and Pakistan in ODI cricket was in the 2019 World Cup group match in Manchester, where Virat Kohli scored 77 runs off 65 balls, and Rohit Sharma scored a terrific century. India will be hoping that their two senior batsmen step up once again.
