'In Pakistan's mind, there's supremacy. In Virat Kohli's mind, he knows...': Misbah ahead of IND vs PAK T20 WC clash
- Eagle Vision
- May 16, 2024
- 3 min read
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq lavished praise on Virat Kohli for his strong mentality when performing under pressure and against big teams. Kohli has been the man for the big moments for India over the years as he also played one of the best T20I knocks of his career when India and Pakistan faced each other in the T20 World Cup 2022.
The batting maestro was also the leader run-getter in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he amassed over 700 runs, including three centuries, as he surpassed legendary Sachin Tendulkar's tally of most ODI tons.
Misbah talked about the pressure of playing the high-octane IND vs PAK clash, as he himself has a good record against the Men in Blue. The former Pakistan skipper scored 550 runs in 17 ODIs and 96 in 2 T20Is when he was up against India.
"Everyone feels the pressure of playing in the India-Pakistan match. Whenever I used to play against India, if the start was good, I was confident and comfortable that I would perform. It's in the player's muscle memory and mind that when you perform well, you really have a big impact on the match, and the position you are in during the match also has an influence," Misbah told Star Sports.
‘Instead of taking pressure, Virat Kohli takes motivation from it’: Misbah
He further heaped praise on Kohli for producing a sensational performance under pressure in big matches. In 16 ODIs against Pakistan, the Indian batting maestro scored 678 runs including three centuries, while he slammed 488 runs in 12 T20Is.
"Virat Kohli performed well in all the matches, against many teams, and especially against Pakistan. He played such an innings at a crucial stage that he caused a lot of damage to Pakistan. So even in Pakistan's mind, there is a mentality, there's a supremacy, and even in Kohli's mind, he knows that he can perform well against Pakistan. He's such a player that when the occasion is big, instead of taking pressure, he takes motivation from it. Whenever there was a pressure situation and the team was in a bad situation, I used to feel like I had to do something. And this is a factor in Virat as well, and he is a top-class cricketer. So to play against a team like India, like we did in the Champions Trophy, Pakistan or any team has to get him out early," he added.
Meanwhile, Kohli, who has been leading the Orange Cap tally in IPL, faced criticism after the initial stage of the season regarding his strike rate as he was failing to up the ante in the middle overs of the innings.
However, Kohli silenced his critics by taking on the spinners in the last few matches and playing at a healthy strike rate throughout his innings. In the last three matches, Kohli has scored 40-plus scores at a strike rate of over 150.
Misbah also bashed Kohlli's critics and said that when he is in the middle, the opposition is never safe.
"You can talk about strike rates as much as you want, but he's a player who knows how to win a match and is used to it. If he is at the crease, then there is no situation or position where you are safe," he concluded.
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