Waqar Younis remarked that because of Kohli's fame, umpires sometimes feel pressure and oblige him
PHOTO: TWITTER
Virat Kohli is in fantastic form at the T20 World Cup and is currently the leading run scorer in the mega-event. The former India captain has scored 220 runs in four matches, including three half-centuries. While Kohli has made headlines for his outstanding performance in the competition, he has also been criticized for putting the umpires under pressure.
The first incident occurred during the historic India-Pakistan match in Melbourne, and it enraged countless fans from both sides of the border. During a tight final over, the umpire signaled a no-ball by Mohammad Nawaz because it was above the waist. The fans then claimed that the no-ball signal was given after Kohli's action.
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A similar situation occurred during India's match against Bangladesh in Adelaide on Wednesday, when umpire Marais Erasmus ruled a short delivery by Hasan Mahmud to be a no-ball, with Kohli again making gestures towards the official.
During their conversation, Pakistan legends Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Malik discussed that moment. The former pacer Waqar Younis remarked that because of Kohli's fame, umpires sometimes feel the pressure and oblige him.
“Shakib said you do your batting; let the umpires do their work. He is saying the same things that we said. If you are going to call something, you will put pressure on the umpire; then, of course, he is a big name. So sometimes umpires are under pressure,” the ex-cricketer said during the discussion.
Akram, however, backed Kohli and said: “I think it’s a natural thing for the batsman; if they see a wide, they gesture to the umpire anyway. I don’t know the laws of today. Maybe a present player can tell us.”