In a brief interaction with Pakistani mountaineer Shehroze Kashif, Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli expressed hope of visiting Pakistan “soon.” Kashif shared a video of the conversation, recorded from the backside of his cell phone, where Kohli’s voice is clearly audible even though his face is not visible.
In the video, the 35-year-old Kohli is heard saying, “Give my regards to your family and all your friends. Hopefully, we visit Pakistan soon, as everyone’s started visiting now.”
Kashif explained that the video was recorded in 2022 when he met an Indian national in Nepal who praised his mountain climbing skills. The Indian acquaintance, who had connections with the Indian national cricket team, facilitated a video call with Kohli after Kashif jokingly expressed a desire to speak with him.
“To my surprise, he messaged Kohli on my behalf, and I had the opportunity to chat with him via video call. As a Pakistani, I proudly acknowledge Kohli as the greatest batsman of this era,” Kashif wrote in the video’s caption. He chose not to reveal the name of the person who arranged the meeting to avoid any political repercussions.
Virat Kohli, a right-handed batsman, has been India’s standout player over the past decade. Debuting in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in 2008, he has since played 113 Test matches, 292 ODIs, and 117 T20 matches, amassing 80 centuries and a total of 26,733 international runs across formats.
Kohli has been in stellar form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), currently leading the run charts with 661 runs in 13 innings at an average of 66.10. He is set to feature in the ICC T20 World Cup, which will take place in the United States and West Indies next month.
India will kick off their World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, with a highly anticipated match against Pakistan scheduled for June 9 at the same venue.
