Ace Indian cricketer Virat Kohli stressed the significance of showing respect to all opponents in the ongoing ICC CWC 2023. He emphasized that there are no dominant teams or underdogs in this tournament.

His comments gained relevance after Afghanistan’s victory over England and the Netherlands defeating South Africa, creating surprises in the CWC 2023. India is set to face Bangladesh in Pune on October 19, and there is anticipation of another potential upset, given that The Tigers have won 3 out of the last 4 ODIs they played against the Indian team.

Virat Kohli, the Indian cricketer, also discussed the strengths of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and reiterated the belief that there are no superior teams in the mega event.
Virat Kohli is expected to be a crucial batsman for India against Bangladesh, and their primary asset will be their captain Shakib Al Hasan. These two players have encountered each other frequently over the years, with Shakib remarkably dismissing Kohli on five occasions.

Conversely, Kohli has accumulated 140 runs from 148 deliveries faced against Shakib.

“Over the years, I’ve had a lot of encounters with him. He possesses fantastic control, and extensive experience, and is especially effective with the new ball. He understands how to deceive batsmen and maintains a good economy rate. You have to be at your best when facing bowlers like him, and if you’re not, they can apply pressure and increase the likelihood of your dismissal,” Kohli commented on Star Sports.

He went on to say, “There are no dominant teams in the World Cup. When you focus solely on the bigger teams, upsets tend to occur.”

Meanwhile, Shakib also emphasized the significance of dismissing Virat Kohli. “He’s an exceptional batsman, arguably the finest of the modern era. I consider myself fortunate to have dismissed him on five occasions. It would undoubtedly be a source of great satisfaction to get his wicket,” remarked Shakib.

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya also acknowledged the value of Shakib. He stated, “He’s a very shrewd cricketer, who has shouldered the burden for Bangladesh for many years.”

Bangladesh’s bowling coach, Allan Donald, shared insights into the team’s strategy for dismissing Virat Kohli. “Virat Kohli is the player you contemplate the night before, or even two days in advance because that’s how highly we prize his wicket,” commented Donald.

Bangladesh began their CWC 2023 campaign impressively with a victory over Afghanistan in their opening match. However, they subsequently suffered losses to England and New Zealand in their most recent two matches.

In comparison, India has maintained an undefeated record, winning all three of their matches so far. They displayed dominance against Australia and Pakistan and faced a tougher challenge against Afghanistan.