Did Shaheen Afridi try to stop Virat Kohli from scoring 100? Fans are furious after a controversial over in India’s Champions Trophy win over Pakistan.
Virat Kohli Shines in India’s Victory Against Pakistan
Virat Kohli once again proved why he’s called the Chase Master, leading India to a thrilling win over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. Chasing a target of 242 runs, Kohli remained unbeaten on 100 runs, securing India’s spot in the semi-finals. But a heated controversy overshadowed his milestone – was Shaheen Afridi deliberately bowling wides to deny Kohli his century?
Shaheen Afridi’s Controversial 42nd Over
With India just 17 runs away from victory, Kohli was at 87 runs, hoping to reach his 51st ODI century. His partner, Axar Patel, was trying to give him as much strike as possible. However, Shaheen Afridi’s over raised eyebrows.
- He bowled three wides in four balls, giving India extra runs.
- One wide delivery flew past wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, leading to confusion between Kohli and Axar about taking a run.
- The Dubai crowd started chanting ‘loser’ at Shaheen, believing he was trying to end the match early to stop Kohli from reaching 100.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to react, accusing Afridi of poor sportsmanship.
Kohli Triumphs Despite the Drama
Despite the distractions, Kohli stayed focused. With just three runs needed and himself at 96, he smashed a shot through the off-side, securing both India’s victory and his century.
🔥 Fast Fact: Kohli now has the most centuries in successful ODI run chases (24), surpassing cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma.
Fans Recall a Similar Incident With Sehwag
This isn’t the first time an Indian batter was seemingly denied a century. In a 2010 match, Sri Lankan bowler Suraj Randiv deliberately overstepped while Virender Sehwag was on 99, forcing the game to end before Sehwag could reach his milestone.
