Asia Cup 2023: Virat Kohli will be very dangerous against Pakistan – Mohammad Kaif

Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif reckons Virat Kohli will be very dangerous against Pakistan in the Asia Cup clash. When these two arch-rivals last met on the international scene, Kohli scored a magnum opus knock of 82 runs off just 53 balls in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2022.

India was staring at the barrel of a defeat as they needed 28 off the last eight balls however Kohli turned the match on its head with two sixes against in-form Haris Rauf. India then was able to score 16 runs in the last over against Mohammad Nawaz.

Kaif feels that Kohli’s brilliant knock will be on the back of the Pakistan bowlers’ mind on Saturday.

Mohammad Kaif said on Star Sports, “Kohli’s performance in Australia at the T20 World Cup, against Pakistan, he played magnificently. And he is a brilliant batsman when it comes to playing against Pakistan. He takes full responsibility and is a chase master.”

“The form that he had in that World Cup was because of his performances in the Asia Cup (2022), starting from that century he hit against Afghanistan,” Kaif added.

Kaif added that after playing against Pakistan bowlers, Kohli will have a good idea against them in the big clash.

“The fact that he has played the Pakistani bowlers in their last match at the T20 World Cup, he will know how every Pakistani bowler bowls, whether it is Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, or Haris Rauf,” the former India batter explained.

“Virat Kohli will be very dangerous against Pakistan,” he added.

Kohli has played 13 ODIs against Pakistan in which he has scored 536 runs at an average of 48.72, including a mammoth score of 183 runs.

Meanwhile, Pakistan registered a massive win of 238 runs against Nepal in their opening match of Asia Cup. India will begin their Asia Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on September 2.