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Cricket Players'There was nothing in it': Pakistan pacer's startling take on Virat Kohli's iconic straight six off Haris Rauf
In a startling take, Pakistan pacer Sohail Khan, who is making news for his infamous comment on Kohli, feels there was nothing special about the straight six that Virat played off Haris Rauf in the India vs Pakistan game at last year's T20 World Cup.
Virat Kohli's back-to-back game-changing sixes against Pakistan at the T20 World Cup will go down in history as two of the most iconic shots ever played given the context of the game. With India needing 28 to win off 8 balls, something had to give, and Kohli, who was well set by then decided to take Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf on. Off the penultimate ball of the second-last over, Kohli gave himself room and smacked it dead straight for six – and then finished the over with a flick over fine leg for another maximum. It was this assault that allowed India to knock off 16 off the last over to win an absolute thriller by 3 wickets.
The slap straight six in particular set the cricketing world on fire, with many former greats hailing the incredibility of the stroke. The legendary Kapil Dev in fact stated that Kohli's two sixes will go on to stand the test of time like the great Sachin Tendulkar's sixes in 1998 against Australia at Sharjah. However, in a startling take, Pakistan pacer Sohail Khan, who is making news for his infamous comment on Kohli, feels there was nothing special about the straight six that Virat played. Calling it a regular shot, Sohail feels the reason why Kohli was able to execute it was because of where the ball had landed.
"I guess that was off Shaheen Afridi. See, bowlers get hit for sixes all the time. He made some room and hit it straight. Kuch bhi nahi tha (there was nothing in it). Haris bowled at hard length hoping he will stuff up Kohli but he is a great batter; he was quick and fit. He got back, gave himself room and hit it for a straight six," he said on the Nadir Ali podcast.
"Only 2 shots were possible on that ball. He could have either slashed it over covers or play it off the middle of the bat which he did. Achhi ball be achhi shot (A good shot off a good ball). You cannot blame the bowler. This is what happens. Haris Rauf is a solid bowler. In this team, Haris, Naseem and Shaheen are the big three of Pakistan's bowling. If this trio continues, Pakistan will be unstoppable."
Haris himself recalled that shot and insisted that Kohli may never be able to replicate it in his career. As Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 off 53 deliveries – Virat's best knock as per his own admission – as India chased down 160 at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground. Haris admitted that the shot still 'hurts' him but sounded confident that it's quite likely Kohli won't play it ever again, given how rare it is.
"Anyone who knows cricket knows what sort of a player he is. He has played that shot now; I don't think he can do that again. Such shots are quite rare, you can't hit them again and again. His timing was perfect and it went for a six," Rauf had said on the show 'Hasna Mana Hai'.
