Junaid Khan says, “Aaj aapki khair nahi,” revealing that he slapped Virat Kohli during the 2012–13 IND–PAK series

With amazing stats in all three game formats, star Indian batsman Virat Kohli is regarded as the best batter of the modern era. With his 50th century in the 50-over format, Kohli just smashed a number of milestones in the ODI World Cup 2023, surpassing Tendulkar’s record of most ODI hundreds. Also, he amassed the greatest run total in a single edition of the competition with 765 runs in 11 innings. In international cricket, there aren’t many bowlers who have dominated Kohli.

In the final bilateral ODI series between India and Pakistan, former Pakistani seamer Junaid Khan showed that he was one of the players who had the better of the Indian veteran in his formative years, dismissing him three times. Recalling his early encounters with Kohli in 2012–13, Junaid recently disclosed that the legendary batsman assured him that he would not remove him following the first One-Day International.

“We were acquainted and had competed in the U-19 World Cup together. I was playing against India for the first time in my comeback series. After I got Kohli in the opening game, he promised it wouldn’t happen again. In the third and second matches, I got him once more. I told him, right before the third ODI, over breakfast, ‘Viru, aaj aapki khair nahi hai (Virat, you will not be spared today).’ There was Younis Khan as well. “Get him out again today,” he said. During the Nadir Ali Podcast, Junaid stated, “Younis bhai took Virat’s catch.”

In ODIs, Virat Kohli has scored just three runs against Junaid Khan.

Also read: In T20Is, Virat Kohli needs to prove he is a superior choice than youthful players. Manjrekar Sanjay

Notably, Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1 thanks to the left-arm seamer who claimed Kohli’s wicket in each of the three games. In their five ODI matches together, Junaid has bowled 24 deliveries to Kohli, getting rid of him three times for only three runs. In 2014, Junaid bowled Kohli just two balls in T20I cricket, and Kohli hit a boundary off those deliveries.