'Word Pressure Is Not In Virat Kohli's Dictionary': Mohammad Amir

image-lna1mbx5Amir has lauded Kohli [Twitter]

Pakistan fast-bowler Mohammad Amir offered a word of glowing praise for Indian batting great Virat Kohli, praising his famous knock of 82* in the classic MCG encounter for last year's T20 World Cup between the two arch-rivals and citing it as a testimony to assert how dangerous the modern-day master is going to be for opposition attacks in the 2023 World Cup. 

Amir believes the word "pressure" is alien to Kohli's game and dictionary as he raises his performance to another level when the stakes are high, which underlines him as one of the most influential figures on the team sheet for the Indian side at the quadrennial event. 

The Pakistani left-arm quick shared an interesting anecdote about Kohli from the time he was into his epic knock at the MCG last year. Doing expert work during the tournament for Pakistani media, Amir told fellow pacer Wahab Riaz that Pakistan must not relax even as the equation read 48 off 18 since Kohli was still there.


Amir's 'Pressure' Take on Kohli

"When 48 runs were needed off 3 overs, I told Riaz 'India match haara nahi hai' (India haven't lost the game yet). I told him 'Till the time Virat is there, India haven't lost the match'. I guaranteed him that," Amir told Times of India in an interview.

"No batter in the world could play that miraculous knock, only Virat could. Virat is the only player who could take the game from that particular situation and turn it around, and he did. Riaz gave me a high five after that match."

Kohli notched up an exceptional century in India's most recent clash with Pakistan during the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. The great batter hit his peak form against the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah and came up with a memorable 122 not out off 94 deliveries. He will come up again against the neighbours in the marquee World Cup encounter on October 15 in Ahmedabad.

"The word pressure is not there in Virat's cricketing dictionary. If you ask Virat, he will surely say that that knock (at the T20 World Cup) vs Pakistan was the best innings of his life," Amir added.

Kohli will be next seen in action against the Netherlands in India's final World Cup warm-up match. Following the warm-up match, Kohli will take the field against the Aussies on October 8.