'When I met Virat, he was at peak of his power': Babar Azam recalls 1st meeting with Kohli

Pakistan started up their 2023 Asia Cup campaign with a win over Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The home team won the toss and elected to bat first, and they never looked back. Pakistan restricted Nepal to 104 runs in 23.4 overs, as they failed to chase their score of 342 for 6 after 50 overs. Group A of the Asia Cup will feature a match between India and Pakistan on Saturday.

3 things you need to know 

• Pakistan defeated Nepal by 238 runs in the game
• Nepal made its first-ever appearance in the Asia Cup 
• The Asia Cup's reigning champions are Sri Lanka

Also Read: India Vs Pakistan: Heartbreaking News For Cricket Fans As Rain Threatens Asia Cup Clash

Babar Azam makes a huge statement about Virat Kohli

It is clear that Virat Kohli and Babar Azam appreciate one another, as they are two of the most recognisable cricket players in the modern age of the game. Babar and Virat have frequently acknowledged their appreciation for one another. The Pakistani batsman revealed the depth of Kohli's gracious support during the 2019 ODI World Cup in a recent interview.

Babar expressed his gratitude to Virat before Pakistan's opening Asia Cup encounter against Nepal in 2023, saying that when a player of Virat's calibre praises someone, it substantially boosts the Pakistani captain's confidence. Pakistan's skipper played an innings of 151 runs and was instrumental in leading Pakistan to a convincing victory over Nepal. With this accomplishment, he earned the second-highest individual total in Asia Cup history.

Also Read: 'India’s go to man': Sourav Ganguly names India's most important player in ODI World Cup

Before the game on Wednesday, Babar spoke with Star Sports and expressed his thoughts on a conversation he had with Virat Kohli, a conversation that had a significant impact on Babar's performance. He said:

“When I met Virat Kohli during the 2019 World Cup, he was at the peak of his power, he’s still at his peak. I asked him a few questions, he generously explained. I’ve learnt alot from him," 

“It feels good, when someone says something like that, what Virat said about me is a very proud thing. I got a lot of confidence from what he had said about me."

Beyond rivalries and runs, lies a foundation of respect! 🤝💙@babarazam258's touching encounter with @imVkohli echoes the sentiment of mutual regard that cricket fosters. 🇮🇳🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/YStrJsGDYU

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) August 31, 2023

Is there a chance of rain washing out the India vs Pakistan match?

According to several weather reports, there is more than a 90% chance of rain affecting the India vs Pakistan match on Saturday, September 2, 2023, in Kandy. Forecasts indicate that the atmosphere will be constantly changing, with thunderstorms possibly occurring during the day and rain and thunder anticipated at night.  Thunderstorms are likely in Kandy during the day when temperatures will reach a high of 26 degrees Celsius. Winds from the west-southwest will blow at 10 to 15 km/h, according to the prediction.