Pakistan’s white-ball skipper Babar Azam, recently attended a press conference ahead of their tour to Ireland and England. As expected, there were some questions on highly anticipated T20 World Cup match against India. When asked about Pakistan’s strategy to tackle Virat Kohli, Azam’s response, however, raised some eyebrows.
While the India vs Pakistan clash is always a high-pressure encounter, Kohli’s phenomenal record against Pakistan in T20 World Cups cannot be ruled out. In 10 matches against their arch-rivals, Kohli has amassed a staggering 488 runs at an average of 81. This includes five half-centuries as well.
‘Virat Kohli one of the best,’ Babar Azam
While acknowledging Kohli’s prowess, Azam emphasized that Pakistan prioritizes planning for all 11 Indian players, not just individuals. Azam even admitted that Kohli is one of the best, but, with the conditions in New York alien to everyone, he stated that Pakistan will plan accordingly.
“As a team, you always plan against different teams and according to their strengths. We don’t plan anything against only one player. We plan for all eleven players. We don’t know much about the conditions in New York and we will plan accordingly. He [Virat Kohli] is one of the best players, and we will plan against him as well,” Babar said.
While it’s true that a well-rounded strategy is essential for success, downplaying the threat posed by Kohli specifically might be a misstep.
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