'He's a big name, sometimes umpires are under pressure’ - Wasim Akram opens up on Virat Kohli's antics against Bangladesh

Virat Kohli is one of the best batters in the modern era and his records are mind-blowing across different formats. The 33-year-old has come out of his rough patch which he endured in the last two years and is in great form at the moment with three half-centuries in his last four knocks. He is currently leading the top run-scorers chart in the tournament with 220 runs in four innings, having been dismissed only once in the T20 World Cup 2022. 

In the previous game against Bangladesh, Kohli played a timely knock of unbeaten 64 to take India to a match-winning total of 184. During the process, an instance which came to the spotlight was when Shakib wasn’t happy with Kohli trying to influence the umpires for a no-ball call with gestures. 

Shakib had a word with Kohli after Marais Erasmus adjudged a short delivery by Hasan Mahmud as no-ball. Speaking of the incident, former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram revealed his advice for Kohli.  

Its a natural thing for the batsman to gesture to the umpires: Wasim Akram  

Akram interpreted Shakib’s words to Kohli and advised the former Indian captain to stick to his batting instead of focussing on umpire’s work. He went on to note that Kohli can exert pressure on the umpires as he is a big name in world cricket and felt that it is natural for a batter to do that.   

“Shakib is saying you do your batting, let the umpires do their work. He is saying the same things that we said. That if you are going to call something, you are going to put pressure on the umpire, then of course he is a big name. So sometimes umpires are under pressure,” Akram told during the discussion on A Sports.  

“I think it’s a natural thing for the batsman, if they see a wide, they gesture to the umpire anyway. I don’t know the laws of today. Maybe a present player can tell us,” he added.  

Click here to know the T20 World Cup Points Table and T20 World Cup Schedule updates.