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Follow UsVirat Kohli is arguably is one of the greatest batters of all time and former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir certainly feels so. While Babar Azam, Joe Root and Steven Smith have proven track records, Amir says that comparing Kohli to them makes him laugh.
"Virat Kohli is the greatest player of this generation. I laugh when comparisons are made between him and Babar Azam, Steve Smith, or Joe Root. We cannot compare Virat Kohli to anyone because he has won so many matches for India, which seems impossible for any one player. Not just in one format, but in all three formats, Virat is the greatest batsman of this generation," Amir said on Cricket Predicta Show with its founder, Sunil Kalra.
"Virat Kohli’s work ethic sets him apart from all players. After his bad phase in England in 2014, the way he made a comeback and then consistently performed brilliantly for the next 10 years was no ordinary feat. His wicket in the 2017 Champions Trophy final was very important for us, which helped us win the final. If Virat had not been dismissed, we would have lost the final because we all know how exceptional Virat’s record is while chasing runs."
Amir came out of retirement to represent Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA. After Pakistan failed to make it through to the Super Eights, the 32-year-old has once again decided to quit international cricket.
Amir has represented Pakistan in five white-ball World Cups, other than two Champion Trophies between 2009 and 2017. Pakistan are set to host the upcoming edition of the Champions Trophy, which they last won in 2017, with Amir playing a vital role. Speaking of his best memories of playing the Champions Trophy, Amir revealed that dismissing Sachin Tendulkar in the 2009 edition is something that he cherishes.
"Dismissing Sachin Tendulkar was the most special moment for me. I bowled to him only once in my life during the 2009 Champions Trophy, which was held in South Africa, and dismissed him while playing against India. I had seen him play cricket on TV and always used to think about how brilliant a batsman Sachin was," Amir recalled.
"Bowling to Sachin Tendulkar was a big thing for me. For three days after his dismissal, I was not in my senses; I could not believe I had taken Sachin Paaji’s wicket. I was new to cricket, and he was the kind of player who had a deep understanding of every aspect of the game. When the captain handed me the ball, my heart was pounding. I took a deep breath and bowled to him. My condition was exactly like when I met Wasim Akram for the first time."
Amir has picked up 152 white-ball wickets for Pakistan in 123 matches since making his debut in 2009.
