"Not Intimidating": Kesrick Williams On Virat Kohli Mocking His Notebook Celebration
Published - 20 Aug 2020, 06:43 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:33 AM
Virat Kohli is a free spirit. He likes to express himself on the field. In a similar moment, when Virat Kohli made his gesture do the talking, West Indies’ bowler Kesrick Williams was at the receiving end of it. The incident took place during the first T20I between India and the West Indies in 2019, when Kohli smashed 94 off 50 balls.
The innings from Kohli also helped India clinch victory by six wickets in Hyderabad. However, opening up on the incident, Williams said that he was never intimidated by Kohli. He also added that Kohli got the better off him in the first match but he came back strongly and dismissed the Indian captain in the second match.
“I didn’t see it as intimidation,” he told cricketnext.
“In the first game, he came out with a plan. His plan worked out in terms of probably getting into my head a bit. The second game I got over him. The third game, it was a bit of back and forth and I kind of tied him down in a couple of overs.
“At the end of the day I wouldn’t call it intimidation, at no point of time was I intimidated by him. He’s a talented guy and a great batsman, probably the best batsman in the world. But I’m a determined bowler no matter who I’m bowling against. No matter who it is, I stand up for me and execute when I have the chance.”
The incident took place when Kohli was on a rampage in the 16th over bowled by Williams that went for 23 runs. Kohli even imitated Kesrick Williams’s “notebook” celebration after hitting him for a six.
“It’s not the CPL (about Williams’ celebration), it happened to me in Jamaica when he got me out. So I thought I’ll tick a few in the notebook as well, but all good. There were a few words, but smiles at the end. That’s what you want to see. Good competitive cricket but in the end shake hands and give a hi-fi. That’s what cricket is all about. Play it hard but have respect for opponents,” Kohli said in the post-match conference.
The Indian captain will be next seen in action in the IPL 2020.
