Reflecting on a Riveting Encounter Between Haris Rauf and Virat Kohli
In an exhilarating recall of past encounters, Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf reminisced about his experiences with the titan of cricket, Virat Kohli, on various occasions, most notably during a high-stakes T20 World Cup match and initial meetings during net practices. The memorable face-off in last year’s T20 World Cup became legendary when India, needing 28 to win off 8 balls, and seemingly out of the game, was revived by Kohli's consecutive sixes off Rauf, swinging the game dramatically in India’s favour. The tension escalated as the requirement whittled down to 16 off 6 balls and concluded with India triumphing over Pakistan by four wickets, thanks to an extremely dramatic final over by Mohammad Nawaz.
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Rauf's first bowling experience with Kohli dates back to early 2018/19 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The then 24-year-old Rauf, serving as a net bowler for the Indian team, was introduced to Kohli's extraordinary batting prowess during these intense net sessions. Kohli, the Indian captain, was at his zenith, amassing runs and effortlessly scoring centuries. His intense concentration and aggressive batting even during net practices left a lasting impression on the young bowler.
Rauf conveyed his experiences in a documentary on ESPNCricinfo: "When I was a net bowler with the Indian team, and was bowling to Virat Kohli, I felt like he knew exactly where the ball was going to hit his bat. He was very focused and that showed how sharp his concentration was. Even during practice session in the nets, he unleashed so much aggression that, it felt like I was playing a match against him despite being a net bowler. His remarkable control and intensity made me realise why he has such a reputation in the game,"
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Fast forward to an epic evening in Melbourne and subsequent meetings, Kohli and Rauf have encountered each other only a couple of times, the most recent being during the Asia Cup. A light-hearted exchange was shared before they engaged in a serious face-off on the pitch during the Super Four tie where Rauf bowled four deliveries to Kohli. Bearing the memory of Kohli's onslaught from October 22, Rauf would be simmering with anticipation to turn the tables on October 14, as India and Pakistan brace themselves to rekindle their World Cup rivalry at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium.