“If He’s No. 1…”: Kamran Akmal Throws Open Challenge To India Star Ahead Of Pakistan Clash

“If He’s No. 1…”: Kamran Akmal Throws Open Challenge To India Star Ahead Of Pakistan Clash

Keywords: Kamran Akmal, India, Pakistan, T20 World Cup

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has thrown an open challenge to India’s star batter Virat Kohli ahead of their highly anticipated T20 World Cup clash on October 23.

In an interview with a Pakistani news channel, Akmal claimed that if Kohli considers himself the number one batter in the world, he should bat at the top of the order and face Pakistan’s premier pacers, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.

“If Virat Kohli is the number one batter in the world, then I think he should come to open and face the first over from Shaheen Shah Afridi or Haris Rauf,” Akmal said. “If he accepts this challenge, then we can say he’s a real number one.”

Akmal’s challenge comes on the heels of Kohli’s recent slump in form. The Indian batter has struggled to score runs consistently in the ongoing T20 World Cup, managing only 125 runs in four innings.

In response to Akmal’s challenge, former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim said that Kohli’s position in the batting order is a tactical decision that the Indian team management will make.

“Virat Kohli’s position in the batting order is a tactical decision,” Karim said. “The team management will decide where he bats based on various factors, such as the team’s batting strength, the opposition’s bowling attack, and the match situation.”

The India-Pakistan clash on October 23 is one of the most anticipated matches of the T20 World Cup. The two teams have a long history of intense rivalry, and their matches always draw huge attention.

It remains to be seen whether Kohli will accept Akmal’s challenge and bat at the top of the order against Pakistan. If he does, it will be a fascinating battle between one of the world’s best batters and two of the most dangerous fast bowlers in the game.