During the World Cup 2023 match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh in Dharamsala, a section of fans took the opportunity to remind Afghan cricketer Naveen-ul-Haq of his heated altercation with former RCB captain Virat Kohli during IPL 2023. Chants of ‘Kohli, Kohli’ echoed from the stands as Naveen-ul-Haq patrolled the boundary rope during Bangladesh’s chase of a modest target of 157.

However, the Afghan player remained composed and focused on his fielding duties despite the chants. Unfortunately for Afghanistan, their World Cup 2023 opener turned out to be a forgettable affair as they were defeated by Bangladesh, who chased down the target in 34.4 overs, winning by 6 wickets.

Afghanistan’s batting lineup struggled against the spin duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, collapsing from 112 for 2 to 156-all out. Bangladesh, on the other hand, had a solid start to their campaign in Dharamsala, thanks to fifties from Mehidy and Najmul Shanto.

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The incident that led to the fans’ taunts took place during the IPL 2023 season when Virat Kohli, representing RCB, and Naveen-ul-Haq, playing for LSG, were involved in a heated confrontation. The altercation began when Naveen said something to Kohli during the match that displeased the former RCB skipper.

Chants of Kohli Kohli in front of Naveen Ul Haq😂#SAvsSL #SLvSA #WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/WEoJSb7X1A

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) October 7, 2023

This sparked a fiery exchange of words and gestures between the two players, with neither willing to back down. The situation escalated when Gautam Gambhir, the mentor of LSG, intervened in an attempt to defuse the tension. Gambhir’s actions were seen as a show of support for his young player, Kyle Mayers, and it only added to the intensity of the situation.

The dispute continued even after the match, resulting in both Kohli and Gambhir being fined 100% of their match fees for violating the IPL’s code of conduct.

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In the aftermath of the incident, both Naveen and Kohli shared their perspectives on social media. Naveen posted a cryptic message with a photo of him and Gambhir, emphasizing the importance of treating others respectfully. On the other hand, Kohli shared a philosophical message suggesting that opinions and perspectives can differ widely, hinting that the situation had been blown out of proportion.