Misbah-ul-Haq praised Virat Kohli’s ability to thrive under pressure saying that while strike rates are important, Kohli’s match-winning skills and mental strength make him a constant threat at the crease.
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash at the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has heaped praise on Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli, emphasizing his ability to thrive under pressure.
Speaking on Star Sports Press Room, Misbah highlighted Kohli’s remarkable track record in high-stakes matches, particularly in multi-team tournaments. He reckoned that Kohli’s best performances often come when he is under the most pressure, a quality that has cemented his status as one of the game’s premier match-winners.
“Everyone feels the pressure of playing in the India-Pakistan match. 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,” Misbah said.
”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. 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 added.
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The former Pakistan skipper also addressed the strike rate debate surrounding players like Babar Azam and Virat Kohli. Despite being prolific scorers, both have faced criticism over their intent in T20 cricket. Misbah dismissed these concerns, stating that top players use criticism as motivation to improve.
“Even if you talk about Babar, outside noise definitely affects you when you hear it. But there are good players, who are mentally strong and the best players in the world are the ones who take motivation from it and they show them how they can give an answer on the ground. They [players like Babar and Kohli] take motivation from those voices and criticism and hopefully, he can bat like that when the team requires him to do so,” Misbah concluded.
Last Updated on May 15, 2024
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