- By Himanshu Badola
- Fri, 01 Sep 2023 02:08 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
India's star batter Virat Kohli mentioned Babar Azam-led side, lauding their bowling ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 meeting.
The Men in Blue is all set to take on the arch-rivals Pakistan as they look to kick off their campaign in the continental championship on a high. They will be taking on Pakistan in a blockbuster Group A match in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2.
Virat Kohli will be up against one of his favorite opponents for the first time since his incredible match-winning knock in Melbourne last year in the T20 World Cup.
He smashed 82 from 53 balls, helping India pull off a victory from an improbable position. The knock was hailed as one of the best innings of Kohli's life, while India's skipper Rohit Sharma lauded it as Kohli's best ever.
"I feel bowling is their strength. And they've got some really impactful bowlers that can change the course of the game anytime based on their skill set. So, you have to be at your absolute best to face them," the former Indian skipper told Star Sports.
Pakistan kicked off their campaign with a monumental win of 238 runs over Nepal in the opening game of the tournament in Multan on Wednesday. Babar put up a marvelous performance with the bat with Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah firing on all cylinders.
The leg-spinner Shadab Khan too troubled the batters and picked up four wickets as he will be looking to shine in Pallekele, which assisted spin in the venue's first Asia Cup 2023 match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on Thursday.
Speaking about his hunger to continuously improve, Kohli said it's important not to become complacent and look for ways to up the game and deliver for the team.
"I only try to understand how I can better my game. Every day, every practice session, every year, every season, this is what has helped me play this well for so long and to perform for my team," Virat Kohli added.
''I don't think you can perform consistently without that mindset because if your performance is your only goal, then you can be satisfied and stop working hard. There is no limit to it.
''There is no set achievement that if you reach a certain stage, you've reached excellence. I think I strive for betterment every day, so that is a better word to use, and yes, performance obviously becomes a by-product because your mindset is 'How do I make my team win from this position?''
