Virat Kohli has never played a senior game in Pakistan.© X (Twitter)
Amid the ongoing Pakistan Champions Cup in Faislabad, a fan was spotted waving star India batter Virat Kohli's jersey at the Iqbal Stadium. The incident took place during a match between Markhors and Stallions on Sunday, with Salman Ali Agha batting alongside Iftikhar Ahmed. On the third ball of the 29th over, spinner Mehran Mumtaz looped a ball outside leg stump, which Agha converted into a boundary, following a well-timed straight drive.
As the camera was suddenly panned towards the crowd, a fan holding an Indian team jersey, with Virat Kohli's name and number on the back, went viral.
A Fan Waving Kohli's Jersey at Babar Azam's home ground in Faisalabad.#BabarAzam #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/IQH4J5TpJS
— Aman (@AMANKOHLIFIED18) September 15, 2024
Meanwhile, Kohli will be having some milestones to unlock as he prepares for the first Test against Bangladesh at Chennai, with an aim to overtake his peers Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson's recent success in the longest format.
Virat will be aiming to get to the 9,000 run mark in Test cricket, as he is just 152 runs away from the milestone. It will make him the fourth Indian to hit the tally after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar. In 113 Tests, he has scored 8,848 runs in 191 innings at an average of 49.15, with 29 centuries and 30 fifties. His best score is 254. Sachin Tendulkar is India's highest run-getter in Tests with 15,921 runs in 200 matches.
The veteran batter is also the fourth-highest run-getter in international cricket history, with 26,942 runs in 533 matches and 591 innings at an average of 53.35, with 80 centuries and 140 fifties to his name. Just 58 more runs will get him to 27,000 international runs.
Coming back to the match, Zahid Mahmood's five-for led Markhors to a crushing 126-run win over Stallions in Faislabad.
Chasing 232, Stallions were cruising at 79/2 at one stage with Babar Azam looking in imperious touch.
Babar slammed Shahnawaz Dahani for five consecutive fours, and ended up scoring 45 off as many balls.
However, Stallions lost their remaining eight wickets for 26.
(With ANI Inputs)