Abrar Ahmed's emotional tribute to his childhood hero, Virat Kohli, after viral Champions Trophy moment

Pakistan spin bowler Abrar Ahmed expressed his admiration for Virat Kohli in a heartfelt social media post, describing the Indian cricketer as his childhood hero. The emotional tribute came shortly after the two players competed against each other in a thrilling Champions Trophy match in Dubai.

Taking to Instagram, Abrar was in awe of Kohli's humility as he called him a 'true inspiration.' The caption read: "Bowling to my childhood hero Virat Kohli. Grateful for his appreciation—his greatness as a cricketer is only matched by his humility as a person. A true inspiration on and off the field!"

The post also comprised their viral moment from the Champions Trophy match on February 23. Abrar had found himself amid criticism after his send-off to Shubman Gill with a stunning delivery. However, at the end of his spell, Kohli, in an act of true sportsmanship, walked up to the bowler to shake hands and appreciate his effort. Abrar was the standout bowler for Pakistan, finishing with an economical 1 for 28.

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Virat Kohli gears up for 300th ODI

The former India captain starred in the team's six-wicket win against Pakistan last week, where Kohli notched up an unbeaten 100. It was his 51st career ton in the format, fourth against Pakistan and a first in the Champions Trophy. En route, he also became the fastest batter in the world to 14,000 runs in ODI cricket.

The knock also saw Kohli silencing his critics yet again. His dwindling form across all formats was the talk of the town during the build-up to the Champions Trophy. After a diabolical Test tour of Australia, the 36-year-old showed glimpses of finding his groove during the three ODIs against England. Still, it wasn't enough to put the talks to bed, which escalated after his rustic 22 off 38 in India's Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh. But the much-awaited resurrection unravelled during the game against Pakistan.

Kohli is now set to appear in his 300th ODI game in India's match against New Zealand on Sunday. He will become the seventh Indian cricketer to reach the milestone.

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