Asia Cup 2023: Virat Kohli meets Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Ahead of their clash in the Asia Cup, Indian middle-order batter Virat Kohli on Friday met Pakistani players at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Kohli, 34, met Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi as the arch-rivals are all set to take on each other tomorrow (Saturday).

Kohli met Rauf during the practice session. The two cricketers met with a smile and then hugged each other in a beautiful moment.

After the practice session, Kohli was standing at the pavilion which is where he greeted Shadab and Rizwan.

Shadab and Kohli had a long chat and the two were seen laughing together. After some time, Afridi also joined them and he was greeted by the Indian as well.

The three stars then talked for some time while Rauf was sitting near them.

In the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) video, Indian captain Rohit Sharma met his Pakistani counterpart Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq. 

The Pakistani and Indian cricketers share a great relationship and they have shared some of the most beautiful moments in the last two years.

Kohli was also seen having a chat with Babar Azam and Rizwan after Pakistan recorded their first-ever World Cup against India in the T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai.

Earlier on Thursday (August 31), Kohli told his teammates to be at their “absolute best” while facing Pakistan’s impactful bowling attack.

In an interview released by official broadcasters of the Asia Cup ahead of the high-voltage India-Pakistan game, the Indian batter said that it is always an exciting challenge to play against Pakistan.

“It’s an exciting challenge every time you play against Pakistan because they’ve a lot of talent in their team, they are a quality team overall,” Kohli said in the interview.

“I feel bowling is their strength, and they’ve got some really impactful bowlers who can change the pace of the game anytime, based on their skill set. So, you have to be at your absolute best to face them,” said the star Indian batter.

Pakistan will face India on September 2 in the group match of the Asia Cup. Both the teams are likely to meet again on September 10, if they qualify for the super-four stage of the tournament, and on 17th if both qualify for the final.