Virat Kohli told Naveen Ul Haq, “Now after this, you won’t hear my name” after they hugged it out during the World Cup clash.

Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen ul Haq recently opened up about a memorable on-field conversation with Virat Kohli during the India-Afghanistan league-stage match in the 2023 World Cup held in Delhi. The interaction shed light on the camaraderie between the two players, transcending past differences.

Recalling the incident, Naveen shared that, amidst the intense competition, Kohli reassured him that the host fans in stadiums would not target him with heckling using the Indian cricketer’s name. This heartening moment took place following a publicized altercation between Kohli, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and Naveen, representing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), during a heated IPL 2023 match, which gained widespread attention on social media.

Naveen said “He said, ‘finish it?’, I said, ‘Yes, let’s finish it’ so we we laughed about it, we hugged and we moved on. He said, ‘Now after this, you won’t hear my name’ or something he said [and that], ‘You’ll only get support from the crowd’. I said yeah (smiles).”

The IPL incident, where Indian fans chanted Kohli’s name whenever Naveen bowled or batted, set the stage for tension between the two players. However, during the World Cup clash in Delhi, a different side of their relationship emerged as they shared a hug while Kohli was at the crease, exchanging smiles that hinted at a more positive understanding.

Despite the reduction in heckling after their on-field embrace, reports from the time of the IPL incident suggested tension between the two players. Allegedly, Naveen was displeased with Kohli’s suggestion to his bowler to deliver bouncers to a tailender. While Kohli remained tight-lipped about the incident, Naveen clarified that he was not the instigator and pointed fingers at the star batter for the firm handshake during post-match pleasantries.