Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz shared pictures of bats gifted to him by Virat Kohli, expressing his gratitude to the Indian legend during the T20 World Cup 2026. Gurbaz described Kohli not just as a cricketing legend, but also as an inspiration to all.
Kohli retired from T20Is after India’s triumph in the previous World Cup. The Delhi-born star remains the leading run-scorer in T20 World Cups, amassing 1,292 runs in 35 matches at an average of 58.72, with a strike rate of 128.81 and 15 fifties.
Gurbaz shared the moment on Instagram, writing:
“Thank you for the most amazing gift @virat.kohli bhai. You are not just a legend you are the inspiration for all generations.”
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The right-handed Afghan opener has been the backbone of Afghanistan’s batting, particularly in white-ball cricket. He finished as the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2024, accumulating 281 runs in eight innings at an average of 35.12, playing a key role in guiding his team to the semi-finals.
Afghanistan National Cricket Team Eye Tough Path To Super 8s In T20 World Cup 2026
Meanwhile, Afghanistan now face a challenging path to the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup 2026, having already suffered defeats against the New Zealand national cricket team and the South Africa national cricket team.
Rashid Khan and his teammates were unable to defend 182 against the Kiwis in Chennai and also lost a thrilling match to South Africa in Ahmedabad.
The clash with South Africa went to a double Super Over, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 84 off 42 balls nearly single-handedly keeping Afghanistan in contention for the 189-run target, eventually leading to a tie.
In the second Super Over, the right-hander struck three sixes off Keshav Maharaj, but it wasn’t enough to chase down 24. Rashid Khan and his side will next face the United Arab Emirates on Monday, February 16, in Delhi.
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