Former Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Junaid Khan launched a fresh attack on Virat Kohli after the star batter was dismissed for just 3 during the IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians on Thursday. There has been a lot of chatter surrounding Kohli’s strike rate in the tournament till now and Junaid Khan reignited the conversation by taking to X (formerly Twitter) and posting – “Strike rate 33.33”. The post was in relation to Kohli’s 9-ball-3 against Mumbai Indians before he was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah who produced a sensational delivery.
Strike rate 33.33#RCBvsMI
— Junaid khan (@JunaidkhanREAL) April 11, 2024
Earlier, Junaid Khan was extremely critical of Kohli despite the RCB batter slamming an unbeaten century against Rajasthan Royals. Kohli ended up scoring 113 but his intent as well as strike rate became a point of discussion between both fans as well as experts. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Junaid wrote: “Congratulations Virat Kohli on the slowest 100 in the history of IPL”.
Kohli scored 113 in 72 deliveries with the help of 4 sixes and 12 boundaries but it was indeed the joint-slowest hundred in the history of the competition along with Manish Pandey.
Slowest hundreds in IPL history
1. Virat Kohli: 67 balls vs Rajasthan Royals, 2024
2. Manish Pandey: 67 balls vs Deccan Chargers, 2009
3. Sachin Tendulkar: 66 balls vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala, 2011
4. David Warner: 66 balls vs KKR, 2010
5. Jos Buttler – 66 balls vs MI, 2022
However, a lot of experts have also come out in support of Kohli and legendary West Indies batter Brian Lara made it clear that there is no chance that Kohli will not be included in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad.
“The strike-rate depends on position, and for an opener strike-rate of 130-140 is pretty alright. But if you are coming in the middle-order then you may be required to hit at 150 or 160. As you have seen in this IPL, batsmen are hitting at 200 in the latter part of an innings,” Lara said during the Star Sports Press Room which was also attended by former India batter Ambati Rayudu.
“But an opener like Kohli always has the chance of starting at 130, bat through the overs and finish at 160 or even higher, which is alright “But if you ask me, India’s top three in the World Cup should be Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill irrespective of all these. And for RCB, it should not be about one person, as it has to be a team effort,” Lara added.
