Virat Kohli can't stop laughing, teases KL Rahul during trophy ceremony; India star quickly avoids awkward moment
KL Rahul's post-match act had Virat Kohli in splits, leaving the wicketkeeper-batter awkward.
KL Rahul overcame backlash from fans and experts to put on an impressive show in the knockout stages in India's unbeaten run to a third Champions Trophy haul. In the final against New Zealand on Sunday in Dubai, he carved out a well-composed 34* off 33 as India chased down 252 with an over to spare. However, his post-match act had Virat Kohli bursting into uncontrollable laughter, leaving the wicketkeeper-batter awkward.
Rahul, who was blamed for India's loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final owing to a sluggish knock, buried the ghosts of that Ahmedabad defeat with a valiant show under pressure on a difficult Dubai track. Rahul joined the wild celebration from the Indian team as the reigning T20 world champions claimed a second consecutive ICC title.
Amid the euphoria, Rahul had forgotten to take his pads off. Wearing the batting gear, he appeared for interviews and pictures with players. He realised it when Kohli burst into laughter seeing the Karnataka star get on the stage to collect the white blazer while wearing the pads. As the former captain teased Rahul while other teammates laughed at the incident, the 32-year-old quickly avoided the awkward situation by removing the pads while standing on the stage.
'Don't think there's a better feeling...'
After the win against New Zealand and having his hands on a maiden ICC trophy, Rahul said the victory was truly the best feeling and that his focus is now on winning many more trophies.
"I don't think there's a better feeling than this. I had said this in an interview a couple of months ago--that my entire focus from now on is to win as many titles as possible. God has put me in situations where I can win games for my team. I haven't always been able to do that, but that's the beauty of sport--you keep getting opportunities. If you stay humble, put your heart in the right place, train hard, and let your bat talk, God finds ways to bless you. That's all I can say. We work hard all year, throughout our careers, but moments like these are truly special." he told Star Sports.
