Pakistan’s right-handed batter Ahmed Shehzad spoke in favour of India’s Virat Kohli saying that no one in the world of cricket should be compared to him as he is a legend of this generation.
Kohli, 35, did not have a great T20 World Cup 2024 but stepped up in the final and played a match-winning knock of 76 runs on 59 balls and was eventually named the Player of the Match.
Shehzad expressed that India would not have ended their ICC trophy drought and won the T20 World Cup without Kohli’s innings in the final.
"Virat Kohli is a legend of our generation. Every time he stepped on the field, he played the game with the same enthusiasm. Even in his last T20I, Virat was celebrating at long-on and long-off whenever a wicket fell. He did not score runs in the entire T20 World Cup, but when things are written in your destiny, you will get them,” Shehzad said during a media talk in Dubai.
The Pakistani batter then added that Kohli stood tall on the pitch when other batters failed. He then wished good luck to the Indian cricket team in replacing Kohli before adding that the 35-year-old should not be compared with any player.
“He scored runs in the final when nobody else stood up with the bat. India would never have won the T20 World Cup final without Virat Kohli's innings. He is leaving a great legacy in the T20Is. Good luck to Indian Cricket trying to fill his massive shoes. No one should compare Babar Azam or any other cricketer to him.”
India won their first ICC trophy since 2013 and became just the third team after West Indies and England to win the T20 World Cup two times.
Remember, after winning the Champions Trophy 2013, India went on to lose five ICC finals — T20 World Cup 2014, Champions Trophy 2017, World Test Championship 2021 and 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023.