"No one should compare Babar Azam or any other cricketer to him" - Ahmed Shahzad hails Virat Kohli for incredible T20I legacy
Pakistan batter Ahmed Shahzad has hailed Indian star Virat Kohli for his inimitable T20I legacy and believes no other cricketer, including Babar Azam, is in the same ballpark. Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is after India triumphed in the just-concluded 2024 T20 World Cup.
The 35-year-old was the Player of the Match for his pivotal 59-ball 76 in the finale against South Africa.
Kohli finished his T20I career with incredible numbers, scoring 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04 in 125 outings.
Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi after India's 2024 T20 World Cup victory, Shahzad had high praise for Kohli.
"Virat Kohli is a legend of our generation. Every time he stepped on the field, he played the game with the same enthusiasm. He is leaving a great legacy in the T20Is. Good luck to Indian Cricket trying to fill his massive shoes. No one should compare Babar Azam or any other cricketer to him," said Shahzad.
He added:
"Even in his last T20I, Virat was celebrating at long-on and long-off whenever a wicket fell. He did not score runs in the entire T20 World Cup, but when things are written in your destiny, you will get them. He scored runs in the final when nobody else stood up with the bat. India would never have won the T20 World Cup final without Virat Kohli's innings."
Kohli had struggled throughout the tournament heading into the final, scoring only 75 runs in seven games at an average of under 11.
However, the champion batter came up trumps in the biggest game to resurrect the Indian innings from 34/3 in the fifth over to 176/7 in 20 overs.
"One day you feel like you can't get a run and then you come out and things happen" - Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli was delighted to have contributed to the team's cause in the summit clash against South Africa after a torrid run through the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The veteran batter had scored a similar 58-ball 77 in his only other T20 World Cup final against Sri Lanka in 2014 but Team India finished on the losing side.
"This is exactly what we wanted to achieve. This is an amazing game. I was telling Rohit today when we went out to bat I was like.. one day you feel like you can't get a run and then you come out and things happen. God is great. I bow my head in gratitude. I am really grateful that I was able to get the job done for the team on the day it mattered the most," said Kohli at the post-match presentation.
Kohli finishes his T20I career as the leading run-scorer in T20 World Cup history with 1,292 runs at an average of 58.72 in 35 games.