"Virat Kohli Started The Fight": Naveen-ul-Haq's Explosive Take On IPL 2023 Spat

16.06.2023 - 04:29 sports.ndtv.com

The on-field spat between Naveen-ul-Haq and Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 grabbed headlines for quite some time.

Experts had their own opinions about what happened during the match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore while fans tried to find some hidden meaning in the social media activities of both cricketers.

Naveen opened up recently about the incident and said that the fight was started by Kohli after the encounter and cited the punishments handed out to the two cricketers as the proof. “He shouldn't have said all those things during the match and after it.

I didn't start the fight. After the match, when we were shaking hands, Virat Kohli started the fight,” he told BBC Pashto. “When you will look at the fines, you will understand, who started the fight,” he added.

cricket on Virat Kohli India Bangalore

Almost 12 years after winning the 2011 ODI World Cup on home soil, Team India will once again enter the marquee event later this year as hosts. Back then, a 23-year-old Virat Kohli was part of the team which lifted the title at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Now, Kohli, 34, heads into the tournament as the lone active member from the team which defeated Sri Lanka in the final. While there has been a lot of chatter regarding his form, West Indies great Chris Gayle feels that the upcoming World Cup won't be Kohli's last.

"Don't See...": Chris Gayle's Big Statement On Virat Kohli's Likely Form At 2023 World Cup

Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle expects star India batter Virat Kohli to dominate proceedings at the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup on home soil. Kohli has been in stellar form with the bat since ending his century drought last year during the Asia Cup in UAE. He has score four tons across formats since then. The 34-year-old also hit two back-to-back centuries during the recently-concluded Indian Premier League season.

"Win The World Cup For Virat Kohli": Virender Sehwag Tells India Players

The countdown for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 has begun, with the schedule for the mega event out. Having last won the World Cup when the tournament was held at home (partly), India would look to pounce on a great opportunity to end their ICC trophy drought. As the preparation for the tournament gets serious, former India star Virender Sehwag wants the team to try and win this World Cup for Virat Kohli, much like the 2011 team had done for Sachin Tendulkar.

"We Rejected...": Virender Sehwag's Epic Take On Virat Kohli Lifitng 'Heavy' Sachin Tendulkar On Shoulders After 2011 WC Win

After 2011, India will again be hosting the ODI World Cup starting on October 5. The Rohit Sharma-led hosts will start their campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai and will face Pakistan on October 15. The tournament is a great chance for India to end its title drought in ICC events. Since 2013, the Indian cricket team has not won any ICC event. For stars like Rohit, Virat Kohli and others, the 2023 World Cup presents a great opportunity to emulate what the MS Dhoni-led India achieved at home at the 2011 edition by winning the marquee event. Kohli was part of that campaign and celebrated the triumph in a unique fashion as he lifted Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulders.

"...Since Virat Kohli Stepped Down": Ex Pak Star's Blunt Take On Rohit Sharma's Captaincy

India's failure in the World Test Championship final for the second consecutive occasion has raised many questions on the team's leadership structure. Rohit Sharma, who took over the captaincy after Virat Kohli stepped down last year, isn't in the finest of forms with the bat and has seen his captaincy being questioned too. Former Pakistan batter Salman Butt, in his analysis of India's Test performances under Rohit, said that it's been downhill for the subcontinent giants since Kohli stepped down.

In Another Cryptic Instagram Story, Virat Kohli Talks Of 'Change'

The World Test Championship final between India and Australia ended on a bitter note for Virat Kohli and the subcontinent side, with the men from Down Under securing a 209-run win. Since the conclusion of the showpiece event, Kohli has also been in the line of fire, with many former cricketers raising questions about his shot selection in the match. Kohli, who has been sharing a few philosophical quotes on Instagram of late, posted another one on Thursday. In the story, he talked about 'change'.