'If you are going to call something...' - Pakistan great dissects Shakib Al Hasan-Virat Kohli no ball incident

Virat Kohli and Shakib Al Hasan (Source: Twitter)

Former India skipper Virat Kohli has had a wonderful 20-20 World Cup 2022 so far, with scores of an unbeaten 82 against Pakistan, an unbeaten 62 off 44 against Netherlands and an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls against Bangladesh. It has been a superb time with the bat for Virat so far.

But his character on the field has been questioned by the critics who have come down hard on the premier batter. In the game against Pakistan, he was seen gesturing to the umpire for the no ball call after he had hit Mohammad Nawaz for six in the final over. 

Even Though there is no conclusive evidence to indicate that Marais Erasmus gave the decision under pressure. There is an acquisition from the Pakistani fans that Kohli exercised undue influence on the batter which led to the decision going his way.

This happened once again in the game against Bangladesh where Kohli was at the centre of it all. When Kohli was seen signalling to the umpire that it was a no ball of a Hasan Mahmud short delivery, and the official upheld the no ball call. Shakib Al Hasan was having none of it and had a war of words with Kohli.

Sometimes umpires are under pressure- Wasim Akram

Speaking on the same, Wasim Akram chose his words carefully and here is what he had to say, “Shakib is saying you do your batting, let the umpires do their work. He is saying the same things that we said. That if you are going to call something, you are going to put pressure on the umpire, then of course he is a big name. So sometimes umpires are under pressure,” the ex-cricketer said during the discussion on A Sports.

At the same time, he also sided with Kohli when he said, “I think it’s a natural thing for the batsman, if they see a wide, they gesture to the umpire anyway. I don’t know the laws of today. Maybe a present player can tell us.” He added.