'Lukkha players' - Kamal R Khan lashes out at Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi castled the duo in Asia Cup

Soham Mukherjee

'Lukkha players' - Kamal R Khan lashes out at Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi castled the duo in Asia Cup image

India got off to a disastrous start in their Asia Cup opener against Pakistan as they lost both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cheaply to Shaheen Afridi. 

It is well known that the two stalwart batsmen have struggled against left-arm pacers in the recent past and Pakistan made the most of their weakness through Afridi with the new ball. 

MORE: Bet on India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023 from India 

The express pacer approached from over the wicket and delivered the ball on off and middle, maintaining a good length. Sharma moved forward to defend it, but the ball jagged back in, sneaking through the gap between bat and pad, and rattled the stumps. He departed with a score of 11.

Whereas Kohli saw the ball clip his leg stump after getting an inside edge when he was just at four. It was a short-length delivery outside off and Kohli could only chop it onto his stumps. 

Vocal Bollywood critic, Kamal R Khan, who is known for his controversial opinions dropped a bombshell when he called both Sharma & Kohli "lukhha players" after they failed to produce the goods when the stakes were high. 

MORE: Shaheen Shah Afridi bests Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli

He wrote on X: "Kohli and Rohit are Turram Khan players against Bangladesh, Nepal, Ireland etc. But when they play against big team, then they become Lukkha Palyers. #INDvsPAK."

 

MORE: Why do Indian batsmen struggle against left-arm pacers?

What is Virat Kohli's record against Pakistan in ODIs?

Kohli has scored 540 runs in 14 matches against Pakistan at an average of 48.05. He has hit two centuries till now against India’s bitter foes.

Matches Runs Average Strike Rate 50s/100s Highest
14 540 48.05 96.12 2/2

What is Rohit Shamra's record against Pakistan in ODIs?

Sharma has scored 731 runs in 17 innings. He averages 49.02 against Pakistan and he also maintains an impressive strike rate of 88.8. He has scored 2 centuries against Pakistan in ODIs, with one coming in the Asia Cup 2018 edition at Dubai International Stadium, where he scored an unbeaten 111 runs, and the second century coming in the World Cup 2019 at Manchester, where the 36-year-old scored a massive 140 runs. 

 Innings Runs Average Strike-rate Highest
     17  731    49.02       88.8     140

MORE: India vs Pakistan: Live updates, scores, result and highlights: Kishan reaches fifty as India look to up the ante

Soham Mukherjee

Soham Mukherjee  Photo

Soham Mukherjee is a content producer for The Sporting News' India edition.