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An Insta story by Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq has set Twitter abuzz, with a section of fans seeing it as a dig at star Indian batsman Virat Kohli, whose Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) crashed out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday.
Naveen, whose Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has already qualified for the playoffs, had an headline-grabbing fallout with Kohli during one or their matches in the cash-rich league this season. In the same match, Kohli had a heated argument with former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who is now the LSG mentor.
Naveen’s Instagram story was about an African reporter who says “God have mercy upon us” and bursts into laughter, according to the Hindustan Times.
Naveen Ul Haq's Instagram story. pic.twitter.com/J53mHrfQ4o
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 21, 2023
The Hindustan Times pointed out: “Earlier in March, when (former South African star) AB De Villiers had interviewed Kohli during a live video chat on his YouTube channel, the two couldn’t stop laughing about that same particular video which Naveen shared. Kohli had called it his ‘favourite video’.”
naveen ul haq has taken it too far now pic.twitter.com/A8bQZC0Sdf
— Kanupriya (@kanupriiya) May 21, 2023
Ever since the standoff between Kohli and Naveen, the media spotlight has been on them.
On Saturday, during LSG’s final league game against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, fans chanted “Kohli, Kohli” when Naveen came out to bowl. In responde, Naveen gestured to the crowd, placing his finger on his lip, and asked it to shush.
In Sunday’s match, Shubman Gill, who is in sublime form, scored an unbeaten 104 to trump Kohli’s record century as title holders Gujarat Titans knocked RCB out with a six-wicket victory.
Earlier, Kohli hit his second successive hundred and seventh in the IPL to overtake Chris Gayle’s six and steer Bangalore to 197-5. But the effort was in vain, as Kohli’s wait for an elusive IPL title goes on for another year.
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