Veteran cricketer Sunil Gavaskar made a big statement on star batter Virat Kohli in front of the match between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025. Gavaskar said that Pakistan would be happy to face Kohli in the upcoming struggle and would be remembered by the batsman’s memorable knock against him in Melbourne.
India has been designed to take Pakistan in its next Asia Cup match in Dubai on Sunday. Virat Kohli retired from T20I after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup win. Kohli has not played a competitive match for Royal Challengers Bangalore since the IPL 2025 final, and is likely to return during the upcoming tour of Australia.
Pakistan will be happy not to bowl Virat Kohli – Sunil Gavaskar
Talking to India today, Sunil Gavaskar said that Virat Kohli’s absence will be a relief for Pakistan in front of his Asia Cup struggle. The former captain of India recalled Kohli with two notable sixes from Haris Rauf to turn the game during the T20 World Cup 2022.
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“I am sure they will be very happy that they will not have to bowl. Because we have seen some brilliant innings. What about that Melbourne’s innings, when the match was lost in the match, as far as India was concerned? Then they hit the incredible two sixes from Haris Rauf, which ended to take India closer to a victory, and then Ashwin finished it, said it.
“So yes, if I were a Pakistani, I would definitely breathe very easy. He is not playing against Kohli. Kohli, cricketer, not just a batsman,” he said.
Virat Kohli’s performance against Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2022
Virat Kohli played an important role in India’s victory against Pakistan in MCG in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Chasing 160 runs, India fell to 31/4, but Kohli and Hardik Pandya added an 113 -run partnership for the fifth wicket to revive the team.
Kohli scored 82 off 53 balls, including two large -scale sixes from Haris Rauf. Ravichandran Ashwin finished the match to win a thrilling victory.
Kohli was named Player of the Match for his extraordinary innings. In Blue, men snatched a win over Pakistan from the jaw of defeat. However, India did not win the title during the tournament, losing to England in the semi -finals.
India on top group A table in Asia Cup 2025
India tops the Group A table in the Asia Cup, with two points and +10.483 net run rate (NRR), while Pakistan ranks second with two points and net run rate +4.650. UAE and Oman have scored points in the group so far.
India defeated UAE by nine wickets in Dubai on 10 September. After the first bowling, men in Blue dropped the hosts for just 57 in 13.1 overs. Kuldeep Yadav took 4 wickets for 7 runs, and Shivam Dubey recorded 3-4 from two overs.
The team led by Suryakumar Yadav chased the target in 4.3 overs. Abhishek Sharma scored 30 runs in 16 balls including three sixes and two fours, while Shubman Gill remained unbeaten at 20 from nine balls.
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