Virat Kohli during India-Afghanistan match at Cricket World Cup 2023© X (formerly Twitter)
The face-off between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq was one of the biggest stories during the Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Afghanistan on Wednesday. The two cricketers were involved in an on-field spat during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and this was the first time after the incident that the two players were facing each other. When Naveen came out to bat, he was welcomed with jeers from the crowd as they chanted Kohli’s name. Naveen played the second delivery he faced towards fine-leg where Kohli was positioned. The India star was on to it in a flash and although he was able to complete a sharp throw, KL Rahul failed to collect it in time as Naveen completed the two runs.
Kohli was visibly upset with Rahul as a better collection could have led to a run-out and the video of his reaction following the on-field incident has already gone viral on social media.
Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai hit half-centuries as Afghanistan reached 272-8 against hosts India in their World Cup clash on Wednesday.
Massive chants of ‘Kohli, Kohli’ as Naveen Ul Haq comes to bat.#ViratKohli #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/F98QGcp7d7
— Shreyaa (@Shreya_vk18) October 11, 2023
Afghanistan elected to bat first at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium which witnessed a World Cup record 754 runs scored in the previous match when South Africa posted 428 and defeated Sri Lanka.
The ground was a sea blue with nearly all of the 40,000 seats taken, many in anticipation of a big contribution by superstar cricketer and Delhi-born Virat Kohli.
But at the end of the Afghanistan innings it was pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah who stood out for the home side with his best World Cup bowling figures of 4-39.
Afghanistan slipped to 63-3 before Shahidi (80) and Omarzai (62) put on 121 runs to help Afghanistan recover.
(With AFP inputs)
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