On October 19, the two players will square up in Pune for the 2023 World Cup. Star Indian batter Virat Kohli is aware of the challenge he is going to face against Bangladesh captain and left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan.
Over the years, the two players have squared off against one another quite a bit, particularly in one-day international cricket, where Kohli has scored 140 runs off of 148 deliveries from Shakib. Shakib, meanwhile, has also been successful, benching Kohli a remarkable five times.
Here is what Virat Kohli had to say about Shakib Al Hasan before the game in an interview with Star Sports:
“Over the years, I’ve played a lot against him. He’s got amazing control. He’s a very experienced bowler. He bowls very well with the new ball, knows how to deceive the batsman, and is also very economical.
“You have to play your best against all these bowlers, and if you aren’t able to, these bowlers are able to create pressure and increase the chances of getting you out.”
Virat Kohli
He further added:
“There are no big teams in the World Cup. Whenever you start focusing only on bigger teams, an upset happens.”
Shakib Al Hasan on Virat Kohli’s wicket
When the two sides square off on Thursday, Shakib Al Hasan aims to capitalize on the fact that he has already dismissed Virat Kohli five times in ODIs.
He clarified the significance of Kohli’s wicket by saying:
“He’s a special batsman, probably the best batsman in the modern era. I think I’m lucky to get him out 5 times. Of course, it will give me great pleasure, taking his wicket.”
Shakib Al Hasan
Because of Kohli’s recent struggles against left-arm spin, which have been well-documented, his matchup against Shakib Al Hasan is one to be eagerly anticipated.