The cricket pundits often term an India vs Pakistan game as the ultimate rivalry in cricket, and no wonder, every time the two teams lock horns, the fans make it a point to back their respective teams.
Just like the intense action on the field, the fiercest rivalry continues among the fans as well, and very rarely do you see an Indian fan rooting for a particular cricketer from the opposition camp or vice versa.
But Virat Kohli, like always, is an exception.
When the two teams meet at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday, Dr. Ibrar Nadeem will be one of the Pakistan fans cheering for Kohli.
Dr. Ibrar Nadeem will be one of the Pakistan fans cheering for India’s Virat Kohli when the teams meet in New York.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Dr. Ibrar Nadeem will be one of the Pakistan fans cheering for India’s Virat Kohli when the teams meet in New York.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
“I want Kohli to score a century, but Pakistan to win,” he told Sportstar with a smile. A pharmacist and a chief executive officer at a pharmaceutical company in the USA, Nadeem hails from the city of Gujrat in Pakistan but has been settled in New Jersey for over a decade now.
Having played junior-level cricket back home, before studies got a preference, Nadeem is friends with several members of the Pakistan team – both past and present – but Kohli’s attitude and hunger to perform have impressed him over the years.
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“Who wouldn’t be a fan of such a perfectionist? We love Virat and admire the work he does for cricket. He is a true inspiration for any sportsman and for anybody who loves their country,” Nadeem said. “People must study what Virat has achieved and follow in his footsteps to make the country proud..”
“Initially, I did not like him because, in every World Cup, Pakistan was at the receiving end. It didn’t matter how good Mohammed Amir bowled because Virat would beat us single-handed,” he said.
“What made me like him was his professionalism and hard work to make the country proud. His aggression on the field and the feelings for his county is unmatched.” Nadeem added.
And, over the last few years, he has been waiting for an opportunity to meet Kohli, but so far, he hasn’t been lucky. “I am a patriot and I like Pakistan.
“But when I see Virat on the field, his aggression on the field inspires me. Even off the field, he is a great human being. Several Pakistan cricketers, who have met him, have told me about him and I feel this guy is a true mentor..” Nadeem said.,
The game against India is a must-win affair for Pakistan, which lost against the USA in the tournament opener.
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Nadeem hopes for the team to bounce back, but he also wants Kohli to score big. “It will be the first time that I’ll watch Virat from the ground and it will be a great thing if he scores a ton,” he said.
His love for Kohli has made Nadeem support the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League and he hopes to visit India someday to watch Kohli playing in front of a packed Chinnaswamy Stadium.
He also hopes the Indian superstar will be able to lift the coveted trophy. “I want Virat to win a World Cup. That would take him to another level, where MSD is, where Kapil Paaji is, or where Imran Khan is,” Nadeem said.
“I want him to be the greatest of all time,” he added with a smile.