Ahead of the all-important IPL 2022 Eliminator between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar says he expects a match-winning century from Virat Kohli. The former RCB captain had endured poor form in the first 13 matches of this IPL season and even though he had scored a fifty against Gujarat Titans earlier in the month, Kohli had looked pretty out of sorts. Also Read - Sachin Tendulkar on son Arjun's non-selection in Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022
All that, however, changed in RCB's last league match of the season as Kohli was back to his scintillating best, scoring an impressive 73 against the Titans. It was the kind of knock people felt brought Kohli back in form, and with RCB needing to win this do-or-die match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Akhtar reckons this is the moment of reckoning for the great Kohli, whom he referred to as undoubtedly 'the greatest modern-day player'.
"Virat Kohli is the greatest player ever of the modern era, no question about it. He is a great guy; people troll him unnecessarily. His form dropped and the trolling began. When you started playing cricket, you wished to become part of the Indian team and serve Indian cricket. Tonight, a similar big opportunity is in front of him," Akhtar said while speaking to SportsKeeda.
"Do not worry. You just have to go and smash them and show the world who Virat Kohli is. I am with Virat Kohli. My heart wants Virat Kohli to score a hundred. I can't see Virat falling further. I expect a match-winning hundred from him and want to see him take RCB home. I want to see Virat happy."
{{/usCountry}}"Do not worry. You just have to go and smash them and show the world who Virat Kohli is. I am with Virat Kohli. My heart wants Virat Kohli to score a hundred. I can't see Virat falling further. I expect a match-winning hundred from him and want to see him take RCB home. I want to see Virat happy."
{{/usCountry}}This is the third year in a row that RCB have reached the IPL Playoffs. In fact, after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, RCB have made the Playoffs the most – this is the ninth occasion. Between 2017 and 2019, where the franchise finished with the wooden spoon twice, RCB have turned a corner in the last three years.
In 14 matches this season, Kohli has scored 309 runs and while so far, this may not be his best IPL year by any stretch of the imagination, the star batter has the opportunity to improve his run tally. LSG and RCB have faced each other just once this season, which Kohli’s side won by 18 runs but he himself was dismissed for a golden duck.