Legendary Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar reacted to a photograph of a Pakistan fan holding a banner wishing to see former India captain Virat Kohli score a century on Pakistan soil which had gone viral on social media over the weekend. The phone was clicked during a Pakistan Super League (PSK) encounter at the iconic Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore. 

The fan’s banner said, “I want to see your century in Pakistan. #peace.” won the hearts of cricket fans and was widely circulated across social media over the weekend. The 2022 PSL season is at its business end with the final set to take place on Sunday (27th February). 

Reacting to the fan’s banner, Akhtar said, “Someone spreading love at the #GaddafiStadium. #PSL7 #Pakistan #ViratKohli.” Akhtar is regularly involved with Indian media and is known to have a good relationship with past Indian players. 

Despite playing international cricket for almost 14 years now, Kohli has never played a match in Pakistan. In fact, the legendary Indian batter is yet to play a Test match against his country’s arch-rivals. India and Pakistan last played a Test match against each other in December 2007. 

Apart from a three-match T20I and ODI series in 2012/13, the two countries have not played each other in a bilateral series since Pakistan’s tour of India in 2007. The Indian team has not toured Pakistan since 2006 when they had played each other in 3 Test matches and 5 ODIs under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. 

In recent times, India and Pakistan have only faced each other in global events. As far as Kohli is concerned, he has a brilliant record against the Men in Green in ICC events. He had scored a century against them in the 2015 Cricket World Cup and a half-century in 2019. In T20 WCs, Kohli has faced Pakistan four times in which he has made 226 runs which included three half-centuries and only one dismissal.