'Virat Kohli is our favourite cricketer': Kids in Papua New Guinea declare in heartwarming viral video (WATCH)
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Apr 5, 2024, 1:12 PM ISTIn a heartwarming viral video that has captured the attention of cricket enthusiasts worldwide, children from Papua New Guinea have declared Virat Kohli as their favourite cricketer.
In a heartwarming viral video that has captured the attention of cricket enthusiasts worldwide, children from Papua New Guinea have declared Virat Kohli as their favourite cricketer. The video showcases the immense popularity and global appeal of the Indian cricket icon, who is hailed as the face of the sport.
Despite being thousands of miles away from the cricketing hubs of India, these young fans exude boundless enthusiasm and admiration for Kohli, showcasing the transcendent power of cricket to unite people across borders and cultures.
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In the viral video, the interviewer asks a bunch of children, who are seen playing cricket, "Which is your favourite team?"
"India," the children unanimously declare.
When asked who is their favourite cricketer, the children enthusiastically say, "Virat Kohli."
VIRAT KOHLI FANS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 🤯
- Kohli is the face of cricket, The Global brand. [Nomadic Tour YT] pic.twitter.com/q0UZsMbZWp
As the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 unfolds, Kohli finds himself under the spotlight, leading the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a high-stakes tournament. Despite his stellar performances, Kohli's team has faced challenges, prompting concerns from fans and experts alike.
Former Australia captain Steve Smith, acknowledging Kohli's exceptional talent and leadership, emphasized the importance of support from Kohli's teammates in the IPL. Smith highlighted the pressure on Kohli due to the collective underperformance of RCB's batters, urging them to step up and contribute effectively to the team's success.
In this IPL season, Kohli has been the driving force for RCB, amassing an impressive 203 runs in four matches at an average of 67.66, including two half-centuries. However, the team's performance hasn't mirrored Kohli's consistency.
Despite Kohli's stellar contributions, RCB finds themselves struggling with three losses in four matches, currently languishing in the seventh position on the points table. The team's batting lineup, apart from Kohli, has failed to live up to expectations. Dinesh Karthik, the second-highest scorer for RCB, trails far behind with only 90 runs in as many games.
Players like Glenn Maxwell, captain Faf du Plessis, and Cameron Green have failed to make significant impacts with the bat, leaving RCB's batting order looking vulnerable and underwhelming. This lack of support for Kohli has put immense pressure on him to carry the team's batting burden single-handedly.
"He needs the other key batters to stand up with him, and if they do that, they can turn things around for their season. But, at the moment, they're not so a lot of pressure is on Virat," Smith, a member of the Star Sports Incredible Star Cast, told PTI in an exclusive interaction at the channel's studio in Mumbai.
"I doubt he'd be putting extra pressure on himself. (But) some of the other top-order and middle-order (batters) need to help Virat," he said.
"He started the campaign really well in the IPL and he needs some support. He's not going to score runs on every occasion. But, I doubt he'd be thinking that way. I don't think he'd go out and put extra pressure on himself. He'd just go out and play and see what happens in that game," he added.
"Virat is an incredible player. What he does really well, and probably better than most people in the world, is (that) he sums up the conditions and the situation of the game and plays accordingly," he said.
"If he needs to strike big, he does. If he needs to bring it back a little bit and build some partnerships...You don't need 180 on every ground; 150-160 might be enough on some grounds," he added.
"Virat sums up the conditions really well and the situation. I'm not fussed about the strike rate," Smith further said.
As cricket fans around the world eagerly follow the IPL and cheer for their favourite teams, the heartwarming endorsement of Virat Kohli by children in Papua New Guinea serves as a poignant reminder of the sport's universal appeal and the enduring impact of cricketing legends like Kohli on fans across the globe.
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