Tag: Virat Kohli

Jimmy Neesham found himself in an unfortunate list during New Zealand’s tri-series clash against South Africa in Harare on Wednesday, joining the likes of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam in an unwanted T20I record.

The Kiwi all-rounder was dismissed for a second-ball duck, which was his seventh in T20Is, equalling the tally of several prominent names, including Kohli, Babar, Mohammad Hafeez, Quinton de Kock, and Jason Roy.

A total of 43 players now share this dubious distinction.

Neesham has also edged past fellow New Zealander Colin de Grandhomme, who previously held the national record with six ducks. The 34-year-old now owns the record for most ducks in T20Is for New Zealand.

Most T20I ducks for New Zealand:

• Jimmy Neesham – 7
• Colin de Grandhomme – 6
• Ish Sodhi – 6
• Tim Southee – 6
• Ross Taylor – 6
• Finn Allen – 5

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Globally, the record for most ducks in T20Is is jointly held by Rwanda’s Zappy Bimenyimana and Kevin Irakoze, Bangladesh’s Soumya Sarkar, Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka, and Ireland’s Paul Stirling, all with 13.

Despite the early exit of Jimmy Neesham, New Zealand cruised to a 21-run win over South Africa, registering their first victory of the tri-series.

Tim Robinson anchored the innings with an unbeaten 75 off 57 balls, while Bevon Jacobs added firepower with 44* off 30.

Tim Seifert chipped in with a brisk 22 as the Kiwis posted 173/5.

In response, South Africa were bowled out for 152 in 18.2 overs. Dewald Brevis top-scored with 35 off 18, followed by George Linde (30) and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (27).

Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy starred with the ball, picking up three wickets each. Ish Sodhi bagged two, while Mitchell Santner added one to his name.

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Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli has issued a bold statement regarding India-Pakistan matches while comparing cricket and tennis on the sidelines of Wimbledon 2025. 

Virat was present during the Round 16 match between tennis star Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur.

While speaking on the sidelines of the match, Virat Kohli compared the experience of tennis games to the high-stakes encounter between India and Pakistan.

“The experience can be similar but the intimidation factor and the factor, I would say, could only be replicated for us in very peak kind of World Cup games, like an India-Pakistan World Cup game or the semi-final or a final where your legs are shivering because of sheer pressure,” he said.

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“These guys must be facing that from the quarter-final onwards till the final, which I think is a lot of pressure onwards,” he observed.

The 36-year-old emphasized tennis center court as a more pressure place than a cricket ground.

“It’s a lot of pressure (cricket) because there are so many people in the stadium. But I’d say that it’s not as intimidating as the Centre Court because of the distance people are sitting from you.

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When we are batting on the pitch, the fans are too far away, so you can get lost in your space and do your own thing. You don’t hear comments, the cheers or the boos straight in your ears, it’s only when you are fielding on the boundary but you don’t have the pressure of succeeding or failing with your individual skill,” Virat Kohli stated.

The right-handed batter who recently announced his retirement from the longest format of the game hailed tennis players for extreme mental toughness.

“But here, everything’s on the line and can change with a point in tennis. The pressure these guys must be feeling… playing on the Centre Court must be tremendous. I have lot of respect for tennis players for that reason — maintaining composure, fitness, and mental strength, it’s truly remarkable,” he concluded.

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England leg-spinner Adil Rashid has picked Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam over India batting maestro Virat Kohli for playing the most pleasing cover drives.

While speaking during a Podcast, Adil Rashid and his compatriot Moeen Ali shed light on the cover drives of two modern-day greats of the game.

Moeen, however, redirected the fan question to Rashid due to his vast experience of bowling to these two batters.

“He’s a big fan of Babar, you know,” Moeen Ali said on Rashid’s admiration for Babar Azam rather than his cover drive.

“I think Babar’s cover drive,” Rashid said while praising Kohli for elegance in his  straight drive and whip.”

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In addition to this, Adil Rashid picked former England batter Ian Bell as the best cover driver and India’s legend Rahul Dravid, who had the best defense in international cricket.

“I prefer Ian Bell because he made it look so easy while Rahuld Dravid had the best defense,” he said.

Moeen Ali, on the other hand, picked Virat Kohli over Babar Azam for playing the most elegant cover drives.

A few years earlier, former England captain Nasser Hussain had also made a similar claim, rating Babar’s cover drive ahead of Virat’s.

“I’m going to be biased. Sorry Indian fans but I’m gonna go with Babar Azam. I nearly went Kohli because I think Kohli is slightly different. Kohli has a bit more of a flick of the wrist of it. Babar Azam has just a lovely little [touch],” he had said.

“If I was teaching any young girl to watch, I’d ask her to watch Meg Lanning. I’m teaching any young boy to watch a cover drive. I would say watch Babar.” he concluded.

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Indian stalwart batter Cheteshwar Pujara has picked former Pakistan batter Younis Khan as a better player of spin than him self and Virat Kohli.

While speaking during a recent video segment, the 37-year-old Pujara answered a question regarding the batters who are superior at playing spin bowling.

The host diced prominent cricketing names, including David Warner, Dean Elgar, Ross Taylor, Jonny Bairstow, Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers. However, Pujara remained silent while hearing these names.

While hearing the name of England’s batting maestro Joe Root, Pujara broke his silence. He replied, stating that, ‘Maybe’.

When hearing the name Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara acknowledged the former captain’s superiority in playing spin, citing his impressive numbers.

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“I would say at par. In terms of stats, his numbers suggest that he’s a good player of spin,” he said.

The right-handed batter replied interestingly when asked about Australia’s Steve Smith and Kane Williamson.

 

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“They have scored runs against India and their numbers are good, but I don’t know, it’s very hard to compare myself when it comes to spin, but they are quality players,” said Pujara.

At last, while listening to the name of Younis Khan, Pujara hailed him as a better player of spin than himself.

“Younis Khan — I would have to say that he’s better than me,” he admitted.

It is noteworthy to mention that Younis Khan is the highest run-getter for Pakistan in Test cricket. He has amassed 10,099 runs at a staggering average of 52.06 in 118 Tests, along with 34 centuries.

The Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara is also an outstanding player of spin. Pujara has represented India in 103 Test matches, scoring 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60.

Known for his grit, determination and long stay at the crease, Cheteshwar Pujara boasts an excellent record against spin as well, with 3,376 runs in 129 innings at a mouth-watering average of 61.4.

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England legend James Anderson has shared his views about cricket’s ‘Fab Four’ comparison with Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

The term ‘Fab Four’ was originally coined by late New Zealand great Martin Crowe back in 2013, when he predicted that Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson would dominate the cricketing landscape in the upcoming years.

His prediction proved right, as all four players went on to shatter many records and dominate the world, setting an impressive standard of excellence and consistency.

James Anderson, the leading wicket-taking fast bowler in Test cricket, recently appeared on a Podcast where he openly answered the questions regarding cricket’s ‘Fab fours’ comparison with an all time great, Sachin Tendulkar.

“Just below Tendulkar,” said Anderson in reply when asked about the comparison with Fab Four.

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The former India batting maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, is an all-time great, ranking as the leading run-scorer in both ODIs and Test cricket. The little master has amassed 18426 and 15921 runs, respectively, in 50-over and Test matches.

In addition to this question, James Anderson also revealed the toughest batter he had bowled to between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar.

“I had some success early against Kohli, the first time he came to England in 2014. I really exploited his weakness of outside off-stump, and then the next time I played against him – he had obviously gone back and worked on that – he was totally a different player, Anderson said.

He really had taken his game to a different level, made it very difficult for not just me but for bowlers in general. I got him out 4-5 times in the first series and then didn’t get him out in the next I played against him,” the right-arm pacer added.

The 42-year-old hailed Kohli’s ability to bounce back, noting that he was the most difficult to bowl at due to his mindset.

“Against Sachin, for example, I didn’t feel like there was that sort of shift in dominance. With Kohli, there was definitely a shift. Found him a very difficult player to bowl at because he had that steely mindset, wanted to get into a battle. He’s very competitive, and after that initial success, it was very difficult to bowl against,” James Anderson concluded.

For the unversed, James Anderson had a fierce battle with both batters, dismissing Virat Kohli seven times and Tendulkar nine times in Test matches.

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Former India cricketer Yograj Singh criticised Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for their Test retirements, stating that the baton has not been passed to Shubman Gill; rather, it has been thrown to him.

The unexpected retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have left a vacuum in the Indian team.

On May 7, Rohit Sharma called time on his Test career via a social media post.

“Hello everyone, I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format,” Rohit wrote.

After a week, India’s batting legend Virat Kohli also announced his retirement from Test cricket.

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“It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life,” Virat Kohli said in a social media post.

Following the retirements, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named Shubman Gill as Rohit’s successor in the longest format.

Now, Yograj Singh, father of former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh, expressed disappointment over the duo’s retirement.

“Virat and Rohit shouldn’t have retired from Tests. I told Rohit to get up at 5 AM and run for 20 km to keep himself fit. Virat and Rohit can still play for another 5 years in Test cricket. They should have played,” Yograj said.

“They should be there to see that the baton is passed to the youngsters. The baton has not been passed, it has been thrown to Gill,” he added.

He also lamented Yuvraj Singh’s retirement, stating that he could have become the Men in Blue’s if he had continued in international cricket.

“Even when Yuvraj was retiring I promised him that I will help him become India captain and that we will throw everybody out but he quit,” Yograj concluded.

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Star batter Virat Kohli said he was lost for words after celebrations of a dream IPL title of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) turned to tragedy when 11 mainly young cricket fans were crushed to death in their home city.

Hundreds of thousands had packed the streets in Bengaluru on Wednesday to welcome home their hero Kohli and the RCB team after they had beaten Punjab Kings (PBKS) a day earlier in a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) final.

But the euphoria of the vast crowds in the southern tech city of Bengaluru ended in disaster, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it “absolutely heartrending”.

Karnataka state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said most of the 11 dead were young people, and there were 47 others injured in the crush after a stampede near the city’s M. Chinnaswamy cricket stadium, where the players were parading the trophy for fans.

Kohli, who top-scored in the final, said earlier it had been “as much for the fans” after the 36-year-old finally celebrated winning the IPL at his 18th attempt.

Later, Virat Kohli wrote on social media: “At a loss for words.

“Absolutely gutted,” he added, alongside a statement from the RCB team saying they were “deeply anguished” at what had unfolded.

One of the people injured described to AFP how a “huge crowd” had crushed her.

“They stamped on me,” said the woman, who did not give her name, from a wheelchair. “I was not able to breathe. I fell unconscious.”

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Most of the dead were young fans who had gone out just to catch a glimpse of their sporting heroes.

Street food vendor Manoj Kumar mourned the death of his 18-year-old son, killed in the stampede, who he said he had stopped from working on his stall so he could study.

“I wanted him to go to college,” Kumar told the Indian Express newspaper. “I brought him up with a lot of care. Now, he is gone.”

A grieving mother outside a city mortuary said her 22-year-old engineering student son had also died in the crush.

“He was crazy about RCB,” she was quoted as saying by the Indian Express on Thursday. “He died in an RCB shirt. They danced when RCB won, and now he is gone. Can RCB give him back to us?”

Authorities had already called off RCB’s proposed open-top bus victory parade through the streets after anticipating vast crowds. But organisers pressed ahead with the welcome ceremony and celebrations inside the stadium.

RCB’s social media account posted a video of cheering crowds lining the streets as the players waved back from their team bus on their way to the stadium.

The team said they cut short the celebrations “immediately upon being made aware of the situation”.

Siddaramaiah said that the stadium had a capacity of “only 35,000 people, but 200,000-300,000 people came”.

READ: Former Pakistan captain backs Babar Azam amid T20I scrutiny

AHMEDABAD: Star batter Virat Kohli couldn’t hold back tears as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally ended their 18-year-long title drought, clinching their first-ever IPL trophy with a tense six-run win over Punjab Kings.

RCB were put into bat and posted 190/9, with Kohli top-scoring with a 35-ball 43, a knock that drew some criticism for its tempo, but proved crucial in the end.

The innings also featured some fireworks from the lower order, helping RCB post a competitive total.

Punjab Kings made a solid start in the chase, but the tide turned during the middle overs, thanks to Krunal Pandya’s miserly spell of 2/17.

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The pressure mounted steadily, and though the Kings fought till the end, the target eventually proved out of reach.

With 29 runs required off the last four balls, the result was all but sealed. And for Virat Kohli, who had carried the burden of expectation for so many years, the moment broke him.

As the final ball of IPL 2025 was launched for a consolation six, Kohli collapsed to the ground, overcome with emotion.

Teammates rushed in to celebrate, but for him, it was the release of years of heartbreak, loyalty, and unwavering belief in the franchise.

“I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience,” said a visibly emotional Kohli after the match.

“I’ve tried to win it every season, and gave it everything I have. To finally have it is an unbelievable feeling. I was overcome with emotion after the last ball. Gave each and every ounce of my energy, and it’s an amazing feeling.”

Having featured in three IPL finals previously without success, this win marked the end of a long, painful wait, both for Kohli and the RCB fans.

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DUBAI: India’s batting maestro Virat Kohli was announced as a new investor in the World Bowling League (WBL), marking a significant milestone in redefining the future of bowling as a global sport. 

Virat joined the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts as high-profile partners in the venture.

The league founded by Dubai-based Adi K. Mishra is turning the game with updated gameplay, mixed-gender teams, and global events. The aim of this transformation is to change bowling into a widely popular spectator sport.

Virat Kohli expressed his thoughts following an announcement, stating his love for the game.

“I started bowling when I was 11 years old, spinning the ball by 12,” Kohli said.

“It is evident how popular the sport is while being underappreciated as a business proposition,” he added.

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The 36-year-old Kohli, a modern-day great, is the world’s third-most-followed athlete on Instagram. Only football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have more followers than Kohli.

The founder and CEO of League Sports Co. emphasized Kohli’s decision to invest in bowling.

“When I discovered Virat is also a bowler, it was exciting to align on this new-age vision for the sport,” said Adi K. Mishra.

“Virat’s relentless drive for sports mirrors our own. Every week, we uncover more about bowling’s global depth and fascinating history — it’s a sleeping giant we’re ready to awaken, ” he further added.

It is worth mentioning that the WBL hasn’t announced the remainder of its team lineup, but there are expected to be franchises around the world, including in Dubai.

Two years earlier, in 2023, the league’s organizer stated that the WBL would host 12 to 15 events per year, spanning the United States, Europe, and Asia, with plans for expansion within five years.

It was expected that eight and 12 franchises would compete in the first year, with every team including at least two women to promote gender balance.

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Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri has revealed the conversation with batting maestro Virat Kohli before his retirement from Test cricket.

Virat, 36, took retirement from the longest form of the game on 12 May ahead of the five-match Test series against England.

Virat Kohli has represented India in 123 Test matches since his debut in 2011 against the West Indies. Throughout his remarkable 14-year career, he has scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries.

The 37-year-old batter has also captained India in 68 Test matches, winning 40 and losing only 17.

Ravi Shastri revealed the chat with Virat Kohli before his retirement, stating that he had decided on retirement.

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“I did speak to him about it, I think a week before that [his announcement] and his mind was very clear that he’d given us everything,” he said in a recent interview.

“There were no regrets. There were one or two questions I asked, and that’s a personal conversation which, you know, he mentioned very clearly, there were no doubts in his mind, which made me think, ‘Yes, the time is right’. The mind has told his body that it’s time to go,” he added.

However, Ravi Shastri said he was amused by Virat’s retirement decision. He noted that mental exhaustion can significantly impact an athlete, stating that even if one is in peak physical condition.

“Virat surprised me because I thought he had at least two-three years of Test match cricket left in him,” Ravi Shastri said.

“But then, when you’re mentally fried and overcooked, that’s what tells your body. You might be physically the fittest guy in the business. You might be fitter than half the guys in your team, but mentally, you’re well done, as they say, then it sends a message to the body. You know, that’s it,” he concluded.

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