ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Steve Smith backs Virat Kohli to finish as leading run-scorer

Published at :June 4, 2024 at 6:17 PM

Modified at :June 4, 2024 at 7:45 PM

(Courtesy : Twitter)

Steve Smith has backed Virat Kohli to have a bumper T20 World Cup 2024 with the bat.

Australia batter Steve Smith has picked modern-day chase master Virat Kohli to be the highest run-getter in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The T20 World Cup 2024 is being jointly hosted by the United States of America (USA) and two-time world T20 champions West Indies.

The Rohit Sharma-led India will take on Paul Stirling’s Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 5 to get their campaign underway.

Before the Men in Blue’s first group stage match against the Irish side, India played a warm-up fixture against Bangladesh, but Kohli didn’t play the game as he arrived just a day before.

The 35-year-old is coming to the tournament after a sensational run in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, where he amassed 741 runs in 15 matches at an outstanding average of 61.75, which included five half-centuries and one century. He bagged the Orange Cap in the IPL 2024.

The top run-getter will be Virat Kohli: Steve Smith

Now, senior Australian batter Smith has predicted Kohli to end up as the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2024. The Aussie star pointed at Kohli’s incredible IPL 2024 campaign. Smith also reckoned that the former India skipper will bring his IPL form to the T20 World Cup.

“My top run-getter for this tournament will be Virat Kohli. He is coming off a terrific IPL and he is bringing in some great form. I think he will be the leading run-getter,” Smith said while speaking to the ICC.

In the T20 World Cups, Kohli has plundered 1141 runs in 27 outings till now. The right-handed batter has a stunning average of 81.50 and has hammered 14 half-centuries in the competition.

India squad for T20 World Cup 2024:

Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Reserve players: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan

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