I was better off not bowling to Kohli, jokes Akhtar

Former Pakistan pacer also receives praise from Indian skipper

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar on Saturday joked that he was better off not bowling to India skipper Virat Kohli, who he believes is a ‘great batsman’.

Akhtar’s tweet came after Kohli's remarks that the world’s fastest bowler looked lethal even in the later stages of his career.

"I’ve never faced Shoaib Akhtar but I’ve seen him in a game in Dambulla against Pakistan,” Kohli had said during a conversation in Breakfast with Champions. “I got out, (so) I couldn’t face him. But I saw him bowl and he looked very lethal even at the later stages of his career. At that time, I felt (that) batsmen would not have wanted to face him when he was at his peak.”

In reply to the admiration, Akhtar tweeted: “I was better off not bowling at all when Kohli was batting. Jokes apart, he's a great batsman and bowling against him would have been a great contest.”

I was better off not bowling at all when #Kohli was batting.Jokes apart,he's a gr8 batsman & bowling agnst him wud have been a gr8 contest. pic.twitter.com/EHL32UpXrU

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 4, 2017

Akhtar and Kohli were part of the same match only once during their playing careers. It was the fourth match of the 2010 Asia Cup.

Kohli couldn’t face Akhtar in that match since his 27-ball 18-run innings was ended by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal who bowled him out.

India won the aforementioned match in a last-over thriller as Harbhajan Singh hit Mohammad Amir for a maximum on the second last ball of the match to successfully chase a 268-run target.

Akhtar went wicketless in that match in his 10 overs.