IND vs PAK, Asia Cup: I saw a lot of respect from him, says Virat Kohli on his first interaction with Babar Azam

The recent camaraderie between former India skipper, Virat Kohli, and Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, has been the talk of the cricketing world. The bond between the two cricketers took a significant turn when Babar expressed support for Kohli during a difficult spell with his batting form in 2022. Interestingly, this happened at a time when their batting styles were regularly being compared to each other.

As India and Pakistan gear up for the coveted 2023 Asia Cup, the spotlight has once again shifted back to these two iconic figures. Ahead of the tournament, broadcaster Star Sports revisited an interview with Kohli in which he discussed his first conversation with Babar.

During the interview, Kohli warmly recalled his interaction with the Pakistan cricketer and lavished praise on Babar, heralding him as “one of the top batters in the world across formats.”

Recalling the memorable interaction, Kohli said, “The first interaction I had with him was in the 2019 World Cup after the game in Manchester. Him and Imad. I knew Imad from U-19 days. Imad said Babar wanted to have a chat, and so we sat down and spoke about the game. I saw a lot of regard and respect from him from Day 1, and it hasn’t changed regardless of the fact that he is now one of the top batsmen in the world right now across formats and has been performing so consistently, and rightly so.”

The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan will take place in the 2023 Asia Cup on September 2. Cricket fans around the world are eagerly waiting for these two stalwarts of the game to clash and put on a classic display of batting in the highly expecting contest. The friendly banter and mutual respect between Kohli and Babar has certainly added an extra spark to this upcoming encounter.