• Wion
  • /Sports
  • /'I would go wider of the crease and...' - Shoaib Akhtar reveals master-plan to dismiss Virat Kohli

'I would go wider of the crease and...' - Shoaib Akhtar reveals master-plan to dismiss Virat Kohli

'I would go wider of the crease and...' - Shoaib Akhtar reveals master-plan to dismiss Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli and Shoaib Akhtar

Virat Kohli is regarded as one of the finest batsmen of all-time due to his sheer consistency and piles of records and runs. The Indian skipper has been termed as the greatest ever, across formats, by many experts. Kohli is known for his dominating nature of batting and has uncountable times dominated bowlers to win matches for India or in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar came up with a plan to dismiss Kohli as he said if he was bowling, he would go wider of the crease while pitching the ball up to take it away from the Indian skipper in a bid to make him drive.

Akhtar continued, jokingly, that if his plan A doesn’t work then he will bowl to Kohli at 150 kmph to get swashbuckling Indian batsman out. Earlier, Akhtar had termed Kohli as ‘modern-day Bradman’.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

ALSO READ:Wasn't in condition to play 2015 WC semis but Dhoni said can't go to any other bowler: Mohammed Shami

“If I was bowling, I would go wider of the crease and pitch the ball up [to Kohli] and shape it away from him in order to make him drive.”

“If that does not work, I will bowl him at 150 [kph] and he will get out,” Akhtar was quoted as saying in a video on Instagram Live.

Akhtar also recalled his highly-popular duel with Sachin Tendulkar as he called the Master Blaster one of the greatest batsmen of all-time while adding that he had a good time bowling to Tendulkar. Akhtar said he dismissed Tendulkar 12-13 times in his career but Indian fans only remember that memorable upper-cut six in the 2003 World Cup.

ALSO READ:Cricket Australia to stand down all but skeleton staff from April 27 until end of the financial year amid COVID-19 pandemic

Akhtar also spoke about his duel with Sachin Tendulkar and said: “I had a good time bowling to Sachin Tendulkar. He is one of the greatest batsmen of all-time but I dismissed him 12-13 times as well.”

“Although, Indians only remember that one six which he hit me in Centurion [during the 2003 ICC World Cup] as it makes them really happy,” he added.

“If I had known that one six makes 1.3 billion people happy, then I would have let him hit me for a six every day,” he added, talking about his camaraderie with Sachin.”