Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar suggested that Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi deliberately bowled wides during the 2025 Champions Trophy clash to prevent Virat Kohli from reaching his century. He believes no team likes conceding a ton to an opposition player, especially when they are on the verge of defeat.
As Kohli neared his 51st ODI century, Afridi bowled three wides in the 42nd over, drawing boos from the crowd. However, Kohli reached his ton in the next over with a boundary off Khushdil Shah, sealing India’s six-wicket win. Gavaskar later suggested Pakistan was comfortable with Kohli in the 90s but didn’t want him to get a century.
“I think the attempt was to bowl a little wider so that Kohli wouldn’t reach 100. Kohli scoring a 90 was acceptable, but Kohli scoring 100 is a big deal—especially against Pakistan.”
“That’s what they didn’t want. No team, especially when they know they won’t win, wants a record set against them—a record of the most centuries, the most five-wicket hauls, or even the lowest runs scored by their own team. These are all records you don’t want against your name.”
“How Does India Keep Producing Young Stars?” – Gavaskar Questions Pakistan’s Bench Strength
In the same discussion, Sunil Gavaskar questioned the disappearance of Pakistan’s natural talent. He referenced Inzamam-ul-Haq as an example, highlighting how the former captain compensated for his technical shortcomings with strong temperament. Gavaskar stated:
“I think it’s surprising-this lack of bench strength. Pakistan always had natural talent. Natural in the sense that they may not have always been technically correct, but they had an instinctive understanding of bat and ball.”
“Look at Inzamam-ul-Haq, for example. If you look at his stance, you wouldn’t recommend that to a young batter, but he had great temperament. With that kind of temperament, he made up for any technical shortcomings.”
“It’s surprising that Pakistan have not been able to produce such talents. They also have the Pakistan Super League. How has India produced so many young stars in white-ball cricket? It’s because of the IPL,” he added.
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