During an IPL 2023 match between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, Afghanistan’s bowler Naveen-ul-Haq and India’s star batsman Virat Kohli were involved in a tense verbal altercation. The incident escalated when Naveen-ul-Haq reportedly attempted to twist Kohli’s hand during the post-match handshake, prompting LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir to intervene. This led to a heated exchange between Gambhir and Kohli as well.
Despite the fiery confrontation, both players set aside their differences during the ODI World Cup match between India and Afghanistan the following year. In a statement shared through a video by Texas Kings on their X platform (formerly Twitter), Naveen-ul-Haq clarified that the IPL incident was fueled by the heat of the moment, stressing there were no personal grudges. “He was representing his franchise, I was playing for mine. I won’t back down for my team or country,” Naveen remarked. Both athletes managed to reconcile during the World Cup, with Naveen emphasizing, “At the end of the day, we are all players. In the World Cup, it was resolved once and for all.”
In the Super 8 match of the ODI World Cup, Kohli and Naveen competed against each other once more. India triumphed over Afghanistan by 47 runs, securing their place in the semifinals and ultimately winning the T20 World Cup title. Afghanistan, in turn, faced defeat against South Africa in their inaugural World Cup semifinal appearance.
This episode underscores the high-pressure environment of competitive cricket, where intense moments on the field can lead to misunderstandings but are often resolved amicably thereafter.
Original Story https://www.dnaindia.com/cricket/report-made-it-clear-that-naveen-ul-haq-opens-up-on-verbal-spat-with-virat-kohli-during-ipl-2023-3097184
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