Virat Kohli vs Naveen-Ul-Haq was the main highlight of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The two players were engaged in a serious verbal spat during the game between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
The heated exchange between Virat Kohli and Naveen Ul Haq started when the latter was batting and Kohli had something to say. The on-field barrel then spilt over when players of both teams were shaking hands after the game. The LSG pacer pushed the batter and said something to him. This didn’t go well with Virat Kohli, who returned the favour and had some hard words to say to the pacer.
But after things were settled, Virat Kohli then had a verbal spat with LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir. The two also exchanged some heated words before they were separated from their teammates. As a result of the quarrel, the two were fined 100% of their match fees whereas the pacer copped a 50% penalty.
This, however, was not enough, the players then were taking a jibe at each other even on the social media handles. The incident between Naveen-ul-Haq and Virat Kohli is still the most talked about thing.
Gautam Gambhir has finally opened up about the saga. He said that it was an argument between two players on the field as both wanted to win. Speaking to News 18, he said:
“I have a lot of fights on the cricket field, I always keep them limited to the cricket field. A lot of people said a lot of things and demanded that I give interviews for TRP. There is no need for a flashback, it was an argument between two individuals that happened on the cricket field. If it had happened outside, you would have called it a fight, this was just two individuals who wanted to win for their team.”
“Naveen-ul-Haq was completely right,” Gautam Gambhir breaks silence on fight with Virat Kohli during IPL 2023
Gautam Gambhir further explained that during the fight between Naveen-Ul-Haq and Virat Kohli, the Afghanistan pacer was right and that’s why he took his side. He also admitted that if his teammate was wrong, he wouldn’t have taken his side.
“I will just say this and not elaborate much, and I will say what I did, which I will endorse as I did for a person who was completely right in that match. If I felt Naveen Ul-Haq did nothing wrong, it was my responsibility to stand with him. If my teammate is wrong, I will never stand with him.”
Both Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq made great contributions for their respective sides in the IPL 2023. But unfortunately couldn’t help their side win.