Rizwan lauds Kohli's fitness, hard work after Champions Trophy defeat
What's the story
Pakistan's captain Mohammad Rizwan has praised Indian batter Virat Kohli's fitness and dedication.
This comes after Kohli's brilliant century in a nail-biting run chase in Dubai on Sunday.
Rizwan admitted that Kohli's innings have raised questions over Pakistan's chances of defending the Champions Trophy.
He lauded the Indian star during the post-match presentation, emphasizing on his hard work and ability to score runs even when under pressure.
Match impact
Rizwan praises Kohli's performance in high-stakes matches
Rizwan was astonished by Kohli's hard work.
"The world says he is out of form, but he comes to such big matches, which the world is waiting for, and he easily hits the ball," he said.
He went on to say that despite their best efforts to not give him runs, Kohli always managed to score.
This isn't the first time Kohli has shone in an ICC event despite facing criticism about his form.
Fitness admiration
Kohli's fitness and hard work impress Rizwan
Rizwan was particularly impressed by Kohli's fitness and dedication. He said, "I will definitely praise his fitness level and hard work, the way he has done it."
He admitted that despite their attempts to dismiss him, Kohli managed to dominate the game.
Rizwan attributed Pakistan's defeat to a collective failure across all three departments of the game but identified Abrar Ahmed's bowling as a positive aspect for his team.
Legends' admiration
Cricket legends join Rizwan in praising Kohli
Cricket legends also joined Rizwan in praising Kohli's performance.
Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar spearheaded the congratulatory messages for Kohli as he celebrated India's win over Pakistan.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly also appreciated India's dominance against Pakistan.
Pakistani cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar, who had predicted before the tournament that Kohli would bounce back to form against Pakistan, hoped the 36-year-old would go on to match Sachin's record of 100 international hundreds.
Summary
How did the game pan out?
Batting first, Pakistan made a positive start but lost Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq.
A century-plus stand between Rizwan and Saud Shakeel kept Pakistan afloat.
They plunged from 151/2 to 200/7 with India's concerted bowling effort, before having perished for 241.
Although India lost Rohit Sharma early, Shubman Gill, Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer consolidated.
Kohli's match-winning boundary sealed his ton in the 43rd over.