“I texted him when he had a fight with Gautam Gambhir during IPL 2023”: Agha Salman

Pakistani all-rounder Agha Salman recently revealed that he had reached out to Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli during a period of on-field tension. The communication, initiated via Instagram, came in the aftermath of a heated exchange between Kohli and former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir during an IPL 2023 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants.

Imam-ul-Haq, a prominent Pakistani opener, disclosed this incident during a recent chat show, shedding light on Salman’s message urging Kohli to maintain his composure amidst the on-field tension. The 30-year-old all-rounder elaborated on this decision during an interview, providing insights into Kohli’s response during the Asia Cup 2023 clash between India and Pakistan in Pallekele.

“I have so much respect for Virat Kohli, I don’t think there is any cricket fan in the world who doesn’t respect him. I texted him, I am not going to tell you the complete details but will just tell you the start. It started with ‘Virat Bhai’, I texted him when he had a fight with Gautam Gambhir [during IPL 2023],” Salman said.

During the interview, Salman highlighted how his message sparked a memorable moment during the Asia Cup 2023 when Kohli visited the Pakistan dressing room before their match. The exchange, initiated by Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan informing Kohli about Salman’s message, quickly became a social media sensation.

“I mistakenly told Shadab Khan about texting Virat. You have watched the video of me, Shadab and Virat standing together [during Asia Cup 2023], actually, at that time, he [Shadab] had told him [Virat] that he [I] texted him. We had a bit of laughter after I told Virat that I texted you this, he then told me he may have missed the message as he receives thousands of messages every day. It was all Shadab’s doing [telling Kohli],” Salman concluded.

Despite his presence in both Asia Cup encounters against India, Salman’s impact remained limited. Notably, he didn’t secure a spot in Pakistan’s playing XI during the crucial ODI World Cup 2023 clash against their arch-rivals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14. His absence in the lineup was notable amidst the high-stakes match against the traditional adversaries.

Salman’s gesture and Kohli’s response highlight the mutual respect and camaraderie that transcends the fierce on-field rivalries in cricket.

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