“You Will Not Be Spared”: Pakistan Star Recounts Warning Virat Kohli Before Dismissing Him

Any India vs Pakistan clash is a closely watched affair. It’s a match where reputations are made and destroyed. Virat Kohli is a player who has seen many India vs Pakistan contests, often dominating the arch-rivals. However, during Pakistan’s Tour of India in 2012-13, Virat Kohli was dismissed thrice by the same bowler. That bowler was Pakistan left-arm pacer Junaid Khan. The veteran has recalled he warned the Indian cricket team before dismissing him.

Junaid Khan got Virat Kohli out thrice in the ODI series that Pakistan won 2-1. He dismissed the Virat Kohli for 0 and 6 in the first two ODIs at Chennai and Kolkata. He then scalped Kohli for 7 in the final game too in Delhi.

“I have taken wickets of so many batsmen but people always remember Virat Kohli’s wicket. We have played in the U-19 World Cup, we knew each other. It was my comeback series and I was playing against India for the first time. I got Kohli in the first match and he told me it will not happen again,” said Junaid on Nadir Ali’s YouTube channel.

“I got him again in the second and third match. Before the third ODI at the breakfast table, I told him, ‘Virat you will not be spared today. Younis Khan was also there. He said get him out again today. Younis bhai took Virat’s catch.

Virat Kohli is still among the top five batsmen in the World. Especially in the white ball the way he has made records and has recently broken Sachin Tendulkar‘s century record. He is a world-class batsman.”

Junaid Khan added that he considers Rohit Sharma a better batter than Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

“In my opinion, Rohit Sharma is a better batsman between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Everybody calls Rohit ‘The Hitman.’ He has scored an incredible 264. He has also smashed a couple of double hundreds in the ODIs. This is rare because he has done it more than once. He has also hit the most number of sixes. That’s why I would vote for Rohit,” said Junaid.

“Sachin batted in a different era. He would have scored more than 100 centuries in today’s time. He has played when the ball used to reverse.”

The 33-year-old Junaid Khan has so played 22 Tests (71 wickets), 76 ODIs (110 wickets) and nine T20Is (eight wickets). He last played an international match for Pakistan in 2019.