• India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup event on September 2.

  • Virat Kohli revealed the atmosphere surrounding India-Pakistan encounters.

‘You can’t really ignore’: Virat Kohli opens up on India-Pakistan rivalry
Virat Kohli and Shahid Afridi (Image Source: Twitter)

The longstanding rivalry between India and Pakistan is a cricket spectacle and has always been a sight to behold for cricket enthusiasts. Although India has largely dominated this fierce battle, the Men in Blue’s recent struggles against Pakistan in major ICC events have added to their concerns ahead of the Asia Cup 2023. It is worth mentioning that India and Pakistan will be up against each other on September 2 in the upcoming Asia Cup event.

While cricket fans eagerly wait for the India-Pakistan showdowns, they also often wonder about the thoughts and insights of cricketing stalwarts of these respective nations during the intense battle.

India’s former skipper Virat Kohli has now recently shed light on the captivating atmosphere surrounding India-Pakistan encounters and opened up about the feeling players share during the fierce clash.

Also READ: Ravi Shastri picks Team India’s opening pair for the Asia Cup 2023

Virat Kohli’s take on India-Pakistan rivalry:

In a candid interview with Star Sports, Kohli shared his perspective on the extraordinary atmosphere surrounding India-Pakistan matches. The 36-year-old batter highlighted the passion and enthusiasm that fans bring into the dressing room, admitting that the external buzz and anticipation surrounding these encounters are palpable, even for the players.

However, Kohli later emphasized that stepping onto the field transforms the experience, and every player perceives the clash as just another normal game.

“I wouldn’t run away from the fact that the atmosphere on the outside is very, very different from other games. It’s what created on the outside that you can’t really ignore. As a player when you step on to the field it’s any other game for you. The environment on the outside can pull you in. That’s for you to enjoy and get excited about. Then it’s usual business,” said Kohli.

Virat Kohli’s performance against Pakistan over the last decade:

As the cricketing world gears up for the upcoming Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan on September 2, Kohli’s prowess against the Men in Green cannot be ignored. Over the last decade, Kohli has emerged as one of India’s most lethal batters against Pakistan. The Delhi-born cricketer has amassed impressive 536 runs in 13 ODI matches against the arch-rivals with staggering 488 runs in 10 T20I games.

Also READ: India’s 17-man probable squad for the Asia Cup 2023

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About the Author:
Vishwanath Hariharan is Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. From breaking news stories to in-depth features and opinion pieces, he has covered a wide range of topics. Vishwanath is very fond of watching cricket. Like many others, he too grew up watching, playing, and imitating his favourite players of the game. MS Dhoni is like a demigod to him. You can connect with him at vishwanath.hariharan@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter & Linkedin.