NEW DELHI: Batting genius Virat Kohli was all praise for Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir whose sensational opening spell rattled India’s top-order in the ICC Champions Trophy final in England earlier this year.

The Indian captain, when asked about the bowler who he thinks is difficult or challenging to play, took the lanky left-armer’s name without hesitation, saying that he is an outstanding bowler.

“From the bowlers I’ve faced recently, I think Mohammad Amir from Pakistan is among the top three bowlers in the world. And he is one of the toughest bowlers I’ve faced in my career. He’s one such player against whom you have to play your A game all the time otherwise he will strike. He is that type of a bowler,” Kohli told a private network. “Outstanding,” he added.

Amir has always been a tough bowler to negotiate even after returning from his five-year ban from cricket for match-fixing. Since his return, he has been a thorn for the Indian side whenever they’ve played against their arch-rivals Pakistan.

His first game against India after his ban came in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh in Feb 2016.

India’s batsmen were bamboozled by his swing and pace and he reduced them to 8-3 in no time in their chase of a miserly 83 posted by Pakistan. Thanks to a steady innings from Kohli, India won the match after reaching the target in the 15th over. Amir finished with figures of 4-18 from his full quota of four overs.

Amir returned to haunt India a few weeks later in the World T20s at Kolkata but this time he failed to run through the batting order. However, he bowled a fiery spell at the beginning of the Indian innings. He returned with figures of 1-11 from three overs in Pakistan’s six-wicket loss.

The latest encounter however is when Amir had the most important of says. It is because of his brilliant spell upfront that Pakistan lifted the Champions Trophy earlier this year at The Oval.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2017