Asia Cup 2023: Virat Kohli, Haris Rauf meet for the first time since MCG’s twin sixes havoc ahead of IND vs PAK clash
Nearly a year later, those two memorable sixes are still vivid in people’s memories. The most remarkable aspect of Virat Kohli’s sixes against Haris Rauf, aside from the fact that it seemed impossible to hit at the time and from a player of that caliber, is that for those brief moments, the 90,000 spectators from India and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground came together as one to express their utter amazement at what Kohli had accomplished, which ultimately resulted in a thrilling India victory by four wickets. Ten months after those sixes, Kohli had his first encounter with the Pakistani pacer before the pivotal Asia Cup match at the Pallekele International Stadium.
WATCH: Virat Kohli hugs Pakistan’s Haris Rauf ahead of Asia Cup tie
On that October 23rd night in Melbourne, during the group-stage match of the 2022 T20 World Cup, Kohli had just created havoc. A composed Kohli, who later acknowledged it to be his best T20I innings, blasted back-to-back sixes against Haris as India appeared to be in serious difficulty in their pursuit of 160. One of the sixes was hammered off Kohli’s back foot over the bowler’s head, leaving the Pakistani pacer astonished.
A year later, at a practice session for the 2023 Asia Cup group match, Kohli and Haris met and laughed together before giving each other hugs. The two are scheduled to play each other on Saturday in Kandy.
Saturday will be Kohli’s fourth meeting with Haris in an international match, although the Pakistan speedster had served as a net bowler to India when the team traveled to Australia during the 2018/19 Border-Gavaskar series. In four meetings, all in T20Is, Kohli has scored 42 runs in 32 balls without a single dismissal.
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