Pakistan pacer challenges Jay Shah and Rohit Sharma to leave out Virat Kohli from India's T20 WC squad

Former Pakistani pacer Mohammad Irfan has supported Virat Kohli’s inclusion in India‘s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Mohammad Irfan criticized those who questioned Virat Kohli’s place in the T20I setup, highlighting his match-winning performances.

As per reports from The Telegraph, the Indian selectors are considering omitting Kohli from the squad for the upcoming marquee event. The selectors expressed concerns about his suitability for slow wickets in the West Indies and the United States of America.

Kohli made a comeback to the Indian T20I team after a 14-month absence for the Afghanistan series in January. He featured in the last two matches and scored 29 runs. He had made himself unavailable after India’s loss in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal.

Don’t Have Any Second Thoughts About It – Mohammad Irfan

During an interview on News24, Mohammad Irfan criticized those who doubt Virat Kohli‘s abilities, questioning their understanding of cricket. He emphasized Kohli’s crucial role in winning matches, citing his performance in the ODI World Cup 2023.

“I don’t have any second thoughts about it, you can’t make your team without Virat Kohli because he is a very big batsman. We all saw what he did in the ODI World Cup last year, Virat Kohli won 3-4 matches in the World Cup for India on his own. If Kohli didn’t step up on that occasion, India would have lost 3-4 matches including group-stage matches against Australia and New Zealand where India lost early wickets. He finished the match on his own,” Irfan said on News24.

Virat Kohli emerged as the top run-scorer in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where India finished as the runner-up. The right-handed batter scored a remarkable 765 runs in 11 matches. He showcased consistency by smashing three centuries and six half-centuries.

Virat Kohli Won The Matches In Recent Times – Mohammad Irfan

Mohammad Irfan highlighted the significance of the strike rate in T20 cricket, emphasizing the need for quick scoring to alleviate pressure on the team.

“He won the matches in recent times, it’s not fair to raise questions on his place. Those questioning Virat Kohli’s place in the T20 World Cup belong in gully cricket,” Irfan added.

“Strike rate is crucial in T20 format, if you play more balls then the pressure starts mounting on your team. If you score 30 off 10 balls then the next batsman will feel less pressure but if you score run-a-ball then things will be difficult for other batters.”

Kohli excelled in the 2022 T20 World Cup, amassing 296 runs with an impressive average close to 99. The champion batter holds the record for the highest runs in T20 World Cup history, scoring 1,141 runs at a remarkable average of over 81 across 27 matches.

The Delhi-born cricketer has amassed 4037 runs in 117 T20I matches at an impressive average of 51.76 and a remarkable strike rate of 138.16. With one century and 37 half-centuries to his name, Virat Kohli stands as the leading run-scorer in men’s T20I cricket.

The former Indian skipper will next be seen in action during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He is set to represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise in the upcoming T20 tournament, which is scheduled to commence on March 22.

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