You don't have to talk to Kohli, just remove his focus: Shoaib Akhtar

Ahead of the high-voltage thriller between the arch-rivals in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023, former speedster Shoaib advised his national team to not engage in discussions with flamboyant batter Virat Kohli.

During a recent interview, Shoaib in a light-hearted conversation claimed that his side will need to push Kohli, not engage in a conversation during the contest, and further remove his focus to have a shot at winning the game.

“You shouldn’t talk to Virat Kohli. You just have to push him, and remove his focus. Get him busy. And if he is busy batting, then he will win them the match,” Shoaib told on ‘Wake Up With Sorabh’ (YouTube Channel).

Speaking about Kohli’s campaign in the ongoing Asia Cup, the swashbuckling right-hander struggled to get the runs against Pakistan in his first outing. While he scored just four against the Men in Green, Kohli did not get a chance to bat against Nepal in the second encounter in the group stage.

Check Here: Most Runs in Asia Cup 2023

Team India and Pakistan failed to obtain a result as the match was washed out due to showers at the venue in Kandy in their first meeting. It is worth mentioning that the weather could play a spoilsport in the forthcoming match between the two cricketing powerhouses in Colombo. 

However, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) allocated a reserve day for the match to be completed on Monday, September 11. Babar Azam-led Pakistan won their first fixture in the Super Four stage against Bangladesh and will be eager to keep their momentum intact against India.

On the other hand, Rohit Sharma and Co. will be gunning to kickstart their campaign in the Super Four stage with a resounding win against their arch-rivals. Following the conclusion of the Pakistan fixture, team India will turn their attention towards the crucial matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh which are slated to be played on September 12 and 15, respectively. 

Also Check: Pakistan vs India Live Match Updates