On October 11, at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, Team India is poised to face Afghanistan in their second encounter of the 2023 World Cup. In the lead-up to this crucial game, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) administration playfully teased Afghanistan’s pacer, Naveen Ul Haq, who engaged in a verbal exchange with Virat Kohli during the IPL 2023.
Indian cricket enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating a rematch between Virat and Naveen ever since their heated exchange. After the verbal spat, these two players are set to cross swords for the first time in the World Cup 2023 match.
The altercation had escalated to the point where other players from the LSG and RCB franchises had to intervene. Naveen defended himself, claiming that he had not initiated the dispute and that Virat was responsible for it.
As a prelude to the IND vs AFG clash in the 2023 World Cup on October 11, LSG shared an image on their official Twitter handle featuring a few mango pieces. The caption read, “Aam kab nahi khana chaiye (When should mangoes not be eaten)?”
The admin included ‘Aaj’ in the caption, possibly alluding to the idea that Naveen Ul Haq might find it challenging to face Virat Kohli after their fiery exchange during IPL 2023.
The comical tweet from the LSG administration quickly went viral on social media platforms, garnering 13.9k likes and 800 comments within just four hours. Cricket enthusiasts didn’t miss the opportunity to have a good-natured dig at Naveen Ul Haq ahead of this important match.
The unorthodox pacer will undoubtedly be under the scrutiny of Indian cricket fans who will be there to support Virat Kohli on his home turf in Delhi as he faces the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side.
It’s worth mentioning that Naveen has returned to Afghanistan’s ODI squad after a two-year absence. He was not part of their team during the Asia Cup 2023 and the recently concluded three-match ODI series against Pakistan. The selectors chose Naveen Ul Haq for his unconventional bowling skills, omitting experienced pacer Karim Janat and seam bowling all-rounder Gulbadin Naib from the 15-member squad for the marquee tournament.