"Challenged Virat Kohli to hit me"- Abrar Ahmed reveals what happened in Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed showered praise on Indian batter Virat Kohli, calling him not only a great batter but also a great human being.

The Pakistan spinner revealed that he challenged Virat Kohli to hit a six against him, but the Indian star remained calm and composed in the Champions Trophy.

Abrar Ahmed bowled against Virat Kohli during the India-Pakistan clash in Dubai on Sunday, March 2. The 26-year-old successfully kept Kohli under check and finished with figures of 10-0-28-1.

Abrar also earned special praise from Virat Kohli, who acknowledged his performance with a pat on the back.

Virat Kohli Is a Great Human Being Too - Abrar Ahmed

Abrar Ahmed shared that it was his childhood dream to bowl to Virat Kohli. The leg-spinner, who idolized Kohli growing up, described the experience as a great challenge. Abrar revealed that the Indian batter complimented him with a "well bowled" after the match.

"My childhood dream of bowling to Kohli has come true in Dubai," Abrar told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net).

"It was a great challenge and I took the liberty of teasing him, asking him to hit me a six but he never got angry. Kohli is a great batter, we all know that. But he is a great human being too," he added.

"He said, 'well bowled' after the match, and that made my day. I have grown up idolizing Kohli and used to tell Under-19 players that one day I will bowl to him," the spinner continued.

Abrar was not included in Pakistan's playing XI for their matches against India in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York.

That's My Style and I See Nothing Wrong With It - Abrar Ahmed

Abrar Ahmed dismissed Shubman Gill with a brilliant delivery that turned sharply and hit the stumps. He flicked his eyes to signal Gill to walk back, which went viral on social media. However, Abrar stated that it was just his style and that he meant no offense. He also apologized if anyone was hurt by his actions.

"That's my style and I see nothing wrong with it. No official told me that I did anything wrong, but if it hurt anyone, I am sorry for that. It was not my intention to hurt anyone," he added.

Abrar Ahmed Struggled to Make an Impact in the Champions Trophy 2025

Abrar Ahmed was the lone spinner in the Champions Trophy 2025 squad. He struggled to make an impact in the tournament.

He took just one wicket in a 60-run defeat against New Zealand. Pakistan failed to register a single win, with their final group-stage match against Bangladesh abandoned due to rain.

Following their disappointing campaign, Pakistan will face New Zealand in a white-ball series, including five T20Is and three ODIs. Agha Salman will captain the T20I side, with senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan dropped. The selectors want to revamp ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

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