T20 World Cup 2024: Gavaskar backs Kohli to perform against Pakistan after Ireland setback

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has backed cricket star Virat Kohli to perform against Pakistan in the upcoming clash after he failed to perform against Ireland in the T20 World Cup 2024 match held on Wednesday in New York.

Kohli entered as an opener alongside skipper Rohit Sharma, however, he was struck by Ireland’s Mark Adair after just scoring a run on five balls.

With 741 runs, Kohli, who finished the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 top-scorer, is backed to deliver against Pakistan in the upcoming match despite a disappointing start.

"Top batters like Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, and Joe Root have a relentless drive to perform. When they fail in one match, they are eager to make amends in the next. Their mindset is to score double the runs to compensate for any shortfall. So, he’s scored less against Ireland, he will aim to score big against Pakistan as that will make up for the previous setback," said Gavaskar while talking on Star Sports.

At Australia’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, Pakistan and India locked horns in a group-stage match in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Led by Babar Azam, the Green Shirts were on the verge of victory but Kohli played one of the best innings of T20 World Cup history and won the match by scoring 82 runs for his side.

In ICC events, the 35-year-old has a history of performing against Pakistan and once again, all eyes will be on him when both sides will lock horns in New York on June 9.

It is also worth mentioning that the New York pitch has been criticised and labelled “dangerous” by the cricket experts.

The unpredictable drop-in wicket in New York has become a matter of concern among many teams. So far two matches have been played at the venue, and a total of 350 runs have been scored.

India, after their match against Ireland, also expressed concerns over the safety of their batters due to the unpredictable bounce of the pitch.