Virat Kohli‘s popularity has transcended boundaries, captivating fans on both sides of the border. His star-studded presence has garnered admirers even in Pakistan. It’s no longer a mystery to see Kohli with a larger fanbase in Pakistan compared to their own cricket captain, Babar Azamas highlighted by a viral fan comment last Saturday. Given his enormous following, it comes as no surprise to witness Kohli dominating television screens. Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has repeatedly stressed the concept of player worship, consistently placing Kohli at the forefront of that discussion. But this is because Kohli possesses the star power to draw people in wherever he makes an appearance, whether it be on the field, on TV, or at any other event.
Kohli’s immense popularity has consistently been a subject of conversation among former cricketers turned commentators. While most of them are more than happy to discuss Kohli, excessive focus on Virat during these discussions has ticked the legendary Wasim Akram off previously. On Sunday, as India and Pakistan prepared for another intense clash in their historic rivalry during the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup, Akram shared his perspective just moments before the two captains gathered for the coin toss.
“Today I walked past him and told Virat Kohli that you come in my dreams now. He replied saying ‘what do you mean Wasim bhai? I told him because I see so much of you all the on the television screen. I just can’t get him out of my mind,” Akram said while speaking to the host broadcaster.
Having said that, Akram did acknowledge Kohli’s greatness while also offering special praise for players like Shaheen Afridi and Babar. He emphasized that these modern-day greats have the confidence to excel on the grandest stages, especially when it’s an India vs Pakistan showdown, where the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“Virat, Babar, Shaheen and all these match winners, they play this game for these moments – India vs Pakistan. I mean, for Pakistan everybody wants to perform and vice-versa. This is just made or break. Not for guys like Virat Kohli and Babar Azam but for young guys. These games are fun. Yesterday, the whole Colombo was buzzing,” added Akram.
