The controversy surrounding Virat Kohli’s alleged Instagram 'like' took a dramatic turn after German model LizLaz made an explosive claim that she was offered money to speak negatively about the Indian cricketing icon and make false allegations. LizLaz had unexpectedly come under the spotlight after Kohli’s Instagram account appeared to “like” one of her posts, triggering widespread discussion and speculation across social media platforms.
German model LizLaz made an explosive claim
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The influencer and singer said in an interview with Filmymantra Media, whose clips went viral on social media on Tuesday, that she was convinced by a few journalists to make false statements about Kohli and publicly target him, and was even offered money to make those allegations.
She said: "Some journalists even offered me money to say bad things about him (Virat Kohli) and make allegations about things he never did. But why would I do that?"
LizLaz said that Kohli is one of her favourite cricketers and that she had no intention of damaging his reputation for "publicity" or for financial gains.
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Recalling the incident, LizLaz said she did not even notice it until she started receiving calls about it. “I found out because people started calling me. I didn’t even see it in my notifications,” she said.
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Recalling the incident, LizLaz said she did not even notice it until she started receiving calls about it. “I found out because people started calling me. I didn’t even see it in my notifications,” she said.
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She also mentioned how her social media was flooded with messages and she became the centre of every online discussion. “I opened Google and there were pages and pages about me. It felt very unreal,” she added.
The most interesting part was, however, around how different the conversation was in Germany to that in India. “In India people were asking, ‘Who is Lizlaz?’ But in Germany, the headlines were asking, ‘Who is Virat Kohli?’ because cricket is not very popular there,” she joked.
Kohli is currently in the midst of the IPL 2026 season with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He was among the contenders for the Orange Cap this time, until he slipped out of reckoning after being dismissed for a duck on two consecutive occasions, which happened only for the second time in his IPL career. He has scored 379 runs for the RCB in 2026, in 11 innings, laced with three fifties.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/German model LizLaz reveals she got offered money to say bad things about Virat Kohli after ‘like’ controversy
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