Afghan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq’s ‘sweet mangoes’ Instagram post during IPL 2023 coincided with Virat Kohli’s dismissal in a crucial RCB vs. MI match, sparking fan speculation over its link.
During the 2023 Indian Premier League, Afghan bowler Naveen-ul-Haq’s social media buzz stemmed from an Instagram post featuring him enjoying mangoes while viewing the RCB vs. MI match at Wankhede Stadium. The timing, right after Virat Kohli’s dismissal, led to speculations linking it to the captain’s exit after scoring only one run. Fans associated Naveen’s ‘sweet mangoes’ caption with Kohli’s fall.
Following an on-field altercation between Virat Kohli and Naveen during RCB’s clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), which also involved Mohammed Siraj, IPL witnessed a heated incident. This incident led to Kohli, Naveen, and LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir being fined.
READ MORE | Virat Kohli Engages in a Heated Argument With Naveen-Ul-Haq and Gautam Gambhir After RCB’s Win
However, Naveen, ahead of the IPL 2024 mini-auction, clarified in a video released by LSG that his ‘sweet mangoes’ post wasn’t aimed at Kohli, as widely interpreted.
“I had told Dhaval bhai (LSG team logistics) that I wanted to eat mangoes. And he got mangoes that night itself. When we went to Goa, he brought mangoes. So I was sitting in front of the screen and eating mangoes. There was no picture or anything (of Kohli), it was a Mumbai Indians player on the screen. So I wrote ‘sweet mangoes’ and everyone took it in a different way. So even I didn’t say anything, I just left it. I thought it was mango season, so people’s shops should also do well,” said Naveen while speaking in a video for LSG.
Last Updated on December 3, 2023
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