Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez praised India’s Virat Kohli for scoring an unbeaten century in the Champions Trophy match against Pakistan, marking his 51st ODI hundred. Hafeez emphasized Kohli’s ability to perform under pressure, particularly in high-stakes games, and lauded him as the greatest batter of all time. He criticized Babar Azam, stating that he doesn’t deserve to be compared to Kohli, who consistently excels worldwide. Kohli, reflecting on his performance, noted the importance of his signature cover drive shot in achieving his success. He credited his positive mindset and focus on winning for India as key to his achievements.
Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has expressed high praise for star Indian batter Virat Kohli after he scored a century in their Champions Trophy match in Dubai on Sunday. Kohli hit an unbeaten 100, marking his 51st ODI hundred and bringing India closer to the semi-finals of the tournament. In a recent discussion, Hafeez emphasized how Kohli consistently delivers his best performances in pressure situations, particularly in matches against Pakistan. In contrast, Hafeez criticized his former teammate Babar Azam for yet another disappointing performance.
“Virat is a performer on big stages. He thrives on significant occasions and excels. Whenever India faces Pakistan, it’s an opportunity to shine in those matches. Shoaib Malik became a hero against India with his bowling, and Shahid Afridi became famous for his sixes against them,” Hafeez stated on PTV.
Hafeez believes Kohli rightfully deserves the title of ‘king’, deeming him the greatest batter of all time.
“Virat Kohli anticipates those key moments. He is always ready to seize those opportunities. He maintains a positive mindset; he thinks, ‘I will win the match for India. I won’t just play; I will secure the victory for my country.’ That’s why he is considered the greatest batter in the world,” he added.
Hafeez also criticized PR agencies that have tried to compare Babar with Kohli.
“In truth, if anyone should be called King, it is Virat Kohli, not Babar Azam. Look at his performances. He has excelled globally, not achieved greatness through PR. It’s time to call out those spokespersons and show them the reality,” a visibly upset Hafeez remarked.
Kohli’s masterful 111-ball innings prominently featured his signature cover drive, a shot that has recently been a source of trouble for him but remains a critical tool in his batting repertoire.
“It’s a ‘catch-22’. I mean, the cover drive has been a weakness for me over the years, yet I’ve scored many runs with that shot,” Kohli mentioned in a video shared by the BCCI.
“I think today was about trusting my shots; the first couple of boundaries I hit were cover drives on the rise, so I had to take a bit of a risk and commit fully to my shots.
“Because when I execute those kinds of shots, I feel in control while batting. So, it was a personally good innings for me, and it resulted in a great team victory,” he concluded.
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