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'Not Imran Khan, not Wasim Akram...': Virat Kohli gets 'ultimate compliment' as Pakistan media reacts to Dubai clash
Virat Kohli received the "ultimate compliment" came from Pakistani media, with newspapers and digital platforms lauding his brilliance.
Virat Kohli roared back to form on Sunday as he carved out a match-winning century against Pakistan in a perfect riposte to any foolhardy doubters. In a clash with the arch-rival in the 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy, Kohli scored the winning boundary to score 100 not out, a record-extending 51st career ton, sixth in ICC ODI tournaments, fourth against Pakistan and a maiden in the event.
World cricket has been effusive in its praise of Kohli since Sunday evening, but the "ultimate compliment" came from Pakistani media, with newspapers and digital platforms lauding his brilliance.
Leading English daily Dawn headlined their match report: "Champions Trophy: Virat Does a Kohli Powers India to Easy Win Over Pakistan." While the article also highlighted Pakistan's inability to set a challenging total, a feature story in the same publication, headlined "5 takeaways as India exposes Pakistan's 50-over frailties yet again', paid the ultimate tribute to the "all-time great," saying that no other cricketer, including the legendary Wasim Akram or Imran Khan, has had a more significant impact in an India-Pakistan game than Kohli.
"The ultimate compliment we can begrudgingly pay this all-time great is that in all of the history of Pak-India cricket matches, no other player on either side of the border has had a greater impact than him. Not Imran Khan, not Wasim Akram, not Waqar Younis, not anyone else," it read.
The article also called Kuldeep Yadav the "real bogeyman" for Pakistan, saying, "he has developed a liking for Pakistan greater than even Kohli." On Sunday, the leg-spinner picked three wickets in nine overs.
How have other Pakistan media publications reacted?
Another major website, Geo News, ran the headline 'Kohli Stars as Pakistan Lose High-Stakes Champions Trophy Clash Against India,' which discussed the impact of Kohli's record knock on India's chase. On the other hand, The Express Tribune chose to focus more on the match outcome, stating, 'Champions Trophy: India Outclass Pakistan, Potentially Eliminating the Defending Champions.'
Having sealed their qualification berth in the semifinal, India will next take on New Zealand a week later, on March 2, in Dubai.
