Virat Kohli has been the stand-out performer of the tournament so far as his match-winning knock in the thrilling India-Pakistan clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has been the highlight of the competition. Since then, Kohli has scored another two half-centuries in India’s victories over Netherlands and Bangladesh.
During his innings against Bangladesh, Kohli created history by becoming the highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup history. Kohli broke ex-Sri Lankan batter and 2014-winner Mahela Jayawardene’s record of 1015 runs in the global showpiece event.
Kohli has also found himself as the centre of attention after he got into a confrontation with Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan after he asked the umpire for a no-ball and was given one. A similar incident had taken place in the dramatic last-over of the India-Pakistan clash from Mohammad Nawaz at the MCG too.
Ex-Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram was not happy with Kohli’s action and stated what the conversation between Shakib and Kohli could have been about. Wasim explained that umpires are under pressure from big name players like Kohli but also defended him saying that it’s a natural thing for batters.
“Shakib is saying you do your batting, let the umpires do their work. He is saying the same things that we said. That if you are going to call something, you are going to put pressure on the umpire, then of course he is a big name. So sometimes umpires are under pressure,” said Akram on A Sports.
“I think it’s a natural thing for the batsman, if they see a wide, they gesture to the umpire anyway. I don’t know the laws of today. Maybe a present player can tell us,” he added.
Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals are dependent on India losing to Zimbabwe at the MCG.
