Virat Kohli was fired up on the field during Qualifier 1, and his energy level skyrocketed as Punjab Kings’ wickets kept falling. When Mushir Khan came in to bat, Kohli said something to him that’s now making the rounds on social media. Fans are slamming Kohli, saying he made fun of Mushir, a debutant, by saying he’s just a water boy.
In the viral video, Kohli is seen gesturing towards Mushir, seemingly saying he’s there to serve water. This was Mushir’s IPL debut, and his team was in a tough spot, having lost six wickets for just 60 runs. Yash Dayal and Josh Hazlewood had destroyed Punjab’s top order. Mushir, however, couldn’t make a difference, getting out without scoring a run.
A fan tweeted, “Kohli said ‘yeh paani pilata hai’ while pointing at debutant Mushir Khan. Shameful.” Another fan noted, “Did anyone else notice Virat Kohli’s lip-sync and gestures when Mushir Khan was taking guard? If true, that’s surprising even by his own standards.”
Kohli’s fans are defending him, saying he was just surprised to see Mushir batting after bringing out drinks a few overs ago. A fan explained, “Kohli was saying that just a few minutes ago, Mushir was bringing water, and now he had to come bat.” Another fan added, “People are reacting without knowing the full story. Kohli was just surprised, that’s it.”
Punjab Kings were bowled out for 101, with Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma taking three wickets each, and Yash Dayal picking up two. Royal Challengers Bangalore chased down the target, winning by eight wickets, and booking their spot in the June 3 final. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, need to win Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Mumbai vs Gujarat Eliminator to make it to the final.