World Cup 2023: People who think Virat Kohli is finished should know what value he brings – Salman Butt

Former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt has hit out at Virat Kohli’s critics, stating they should know what value he brings in big matches. Kohli proved his worth in a high-octane clash against Australia in the ongoing World Cup 2023 as he scored a magnum opus knock of 85 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Sunday.

India was under the pump after they lost three wickets for only two runs on the board while they were chasing 200 runs. Kohli stitched a crucial alliance of 165 runs with KL Rahul, who went on to score an unbeaten knock of 97 runs.

Kohli made the most of his experience as he batted at the top of his game. The veteran also absorbed the pressure with all the guile and kept the Australian fast bowlers at bay.

Salman Butt said while talking on his YouTube Channel, “Virat Kohli has been at his best since he hit those two sixes against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup. That was a huge comeback, and it came under extreme pressure. He was under extreme pressure in the game against Australia as well, but he delivered. People who think Virat Kohli is finished should know what value he brings to the team, especially while chasing.”

Butt lauded the fine alliance between KL Rahul and Virat Kohli and added the duo didn’t want to leave the run chase to other batters.

“The partnership of Kohli and Rahul was exceptional. They played defensively when they were under pressure, relying on singles and doubles. They didn’t try to be overly aggressive. The one thing to learn from this partnership is that they didn’t want to leave it to other batters. While India had Hardik Pandya and other batters to follow, both Kohli and Rahul played very responsibly.”

India will be up against Afghanistan in their second game of the ODI showpiece, which will be played at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Wednesday.