We Stand By Shami 200%, Our Brotherhood Can’t Be Shaken: Kohli On Shami Getting Abused
Mumbai: During a press conference ahead of India’s T20 World Cup match against New Zealand, captain Virat Kohli came out in support of pacer Mohammad Shami, who was abused online after defeat against Pakistan.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been subjected to online abuse after India suffered a loss against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday. As soon as the match ended, fans on Instagram and Twitter made derogatory statements on Shami.
“I would say the most pathetic thing a human being can do (attack one’s religion). Everyone has the right to have their own opinion and what they feel about a certain situation. And I personally never ever thought of discriminating against someone over their religion. It is a very sacred and personal thing for every human being,” Virat Kohli said in the prematch press conference.
“People take out their frustrations and have no understanding about what we do on the field. They have no understanding that someone like Mohammed Shami has won India ‘n’ number of matches. He is our primary bowler with Jasprit Bumrah when it comes to making an impact in the game. If people can overlook that and his passion for the country, I honestly don’t want to waste any minute of my life on them. Our brotherhood cannot be shaken,” he further said.
“Well, there’s a good reason we’re playing on the field and there aren’t some spineless people on social media who dare to talk to someone in person and hide behind identities and chase people through social media. Making fun of people and has become a source of entertainment in today’s world which has become so unfortunate and so sad to see because this is literally the lowest level of human potential that one can operate at and this is how I look at these people,” Kohli added.
“We as individuals understand what we want to do on-field and strength of character and mental toughness we have and precisely what we are doing what we doing on-field and none of these people is even in the vicinity to even imagine doing something like that. They don’t have the courage or strength to do that and that is how I see things. And all this drama that has been created outside is purely based on people’s frustration, their lack of self-confidence, their lack of compassion and hence they find it so amusing to go after people.”
“We as a group understand how we need to stick together, how we need to back individuals, how we need to focus on our strengths. People on the outside portray it that India can’t afford to lose the game, that’s none of our business because we play sport and we know how sports work. So what people think outside is no value whatsoever in our group,” he explained.
“Not one game is more important than other, every game of cricket is important and so will be the case in the next game,” Kohli said
India and New Zealand will lock horns against each other in the Super 12 stages of the World Cup on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Both sides will enter the contest after suffering a loss against Pakistan.
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