Mohammad Amir Reacts to Kohli Winning ICC Spirit of Cricket Award

Virat won the ICC ‘Spirit of Cricket’ award for his gesture of trying to stop the fans from booing Smith.

Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir hailed the Indian captain Virat Kohli as a great player after the latter won the ICC ‘Spirit of Cricket’ award

(Photo: Reuters)

• Mohammad Amir hailed the Virat Kohli as a great player.
• Virat won the ICC ‘Spirit of Cricket’ award for his gesture of trying to stop the fans from booing Steve Smith.
• ICC posted a video on Wednesday in which Virat can be seen explaining his gesture for Smith.

Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir hailed the Virat Kohli as a great player after the Indian captain won the ICC ‘Spirit of Cricket’ award for his gesture of trying to stop the fans from booing Steve Smith during a World Cup match.

Smith was returning to international cricket from a one-year suspension for ball-tampering at that time.

On the field, Mohammad Amir and Virat Kohli are arch rivals who spare no chance to get on top of each other with their performances. But off the field, both the athletes have immense respect for each other.

ICC posted a video on Wednesday in which the 31-year-old can be seen explaining the gesture he did for the Australian batsman in the World Cup.

Amir replied to that post saying, “Great words from great player.”

Explaining his gesture, Virat said, “I’m surprised that I have got it, after many years of being under the scanner for the wrong things. It is part of camaraderie that sportsmen must have with each other. That moment was purely understanding an individual’s situation.”

“I don’t think a guy who is coming out of a situation like that needs to be taken advantage of. You can sledge, can have have banter on the field, you say things to the opposition in wanting to beat them. But booing someone is not in the spirit of any sport, I don’t endorse it.”

Virat Kohli, India Captain

“Also, that should not be a representation of our fans and what we stand as a cricketing nation, a sporting nation. We need to all take responsibility towards that,” he added.