Kohli performs better than Sachin at difficult opportunities: Imran Khan

Former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan said that the current Indian run machine Virat Kohli is better than the Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar in crucial situations.

“Apart from his talent and technique, he has a very good temperament. His temperament is better than Sachin’s. Kohli performs at the most difficult of opportunities, which Sachin sometimes wasn’t able to,” Khan told HT in an exclusive interview at his Islamabad residence.

He added that Virat is versatile and has the ability to play on both the front foot and back foot and to every part of the ground. “Cricket has had eras. In the eighties, it was Viv Richards, and then you had Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar who stood out. Virat Kohli is one of the most complete players I’ve seen. He’s so versatile; he plays on both feet, and on all sides of the field.”

India beat Pakistan in the World T20 2016, earlier this year and Khan who watched the game at Kolkata said, “It was very painful watching Pakistan lose, but Kohli played a very good game. I look at batsmen from a bowler’s point of view and I think of how to get them out. Just look at how Kohli plays in difficult situations. He’s better than anyone. I’d say he’s the best internationally, today. You can back him to play any match.”

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The Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician said that it is immature to blame Pakistan for the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008. Cricketing ties with Pakistan have been stopped by India after the incident.

“It’s very immature to punish Pakistan for something they did not agree with. This idea of collective punishment… no human rights (principle) calls for collective punishment. Everyone here condemned the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. Mind you, we suffer far more terrorist attacks than you do every other day. So, to blame a country that’s actually suffering from the worst form of terrorism, and then to give it this collective punishment, is just very immature,” he concluded.

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