Throughout the last 25 days of the IPL 2023, fans have relentlessly called out “Kohli, Kohli” and taunted the pacer for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Naveen-ul-Haq.
The chants of “Kohli, Kohli” in stadiums, according to Naveen-ul-Haq, fueled his desire to perform well for his team. Four wickets were taken by the Afghan pacer in the Eliminator.
The controversy began following a verbal altercation between the pacer and Virat Kohli during the LSG vs RCB match on May 1 in Lucknow. Every time Naveen entered the field, fans would taunt him, but the seamer didn’t seem to mind.
The crowd didn’t stop at Chepauk either during the Eliminator match against Mumbai Indians (MI). By sticking two fingers in his ears, Naveen acknowledged Rohit Sharma’s dismissal. When questioned about the chants, he responded that he enjoys fan teasing because it motivates him to perform well for his team.
“I get fired up when I hear Virat Kohli’s name chanted,” Naveen Ul Haq
I like it, I say (chanting). “I get fired up when I hear Virat Kohli’s name chanted,” he said.” “I don’t mind the noise outside. I want my franchise to succeed. You have to deal with it as a cricket player. When you don’t perform well, the crowd is against you; however, when you contribute, they are in your favor.”
Despite Naveen’s four wickets, Lucknow fell to Mumbai Indians in the match. Despite the showmanship, Naveen had a strong season, finishing with a total of 11 wickets, including four in the Eliminator against MI.
Suryakumar Yadav and Cameron Green were in a commanding partnership when he took their crucial wickets. Including well-executed cutters and pace changes, Naveen used his variations well.
Naveen’s impressive spell of 4 for 38 kept his team in the game even though LSG’s batting lineup struggled to advance to Qualifier 2. He recognized his personal accomplishments as he looked back on the season, but he put more emphasis on the team’s pursuit of the championship.
“You evaluate the circumstances. You can see the terms and what they have to offer. I believe the pitch provided some assistance, said Naveen. “It wasn’t like we were bowling three or four slower deliveries in a row, but just to keep the batters guessing, you have to vary your pace and your line and length.” It comes with T20, a fast-paced format in which you must quickly adapt and stay one step ahead of the batter.”
“It [his season] was good, to be honest. The teamwork we had could have been better. Individual performances do not factor in. Ultimately, we wanted to bring home the trophy as a team. My performance as an individual comes in second. I gained a lot of knowledge from this IPL season, and I hope to return next year even better. It was a good season for me.”
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