Virat Kohli is most certainly one of the greatest hitters of his time, if not the best. With the prevalence of social media, he is the largest sports celebrity globally with an unmatched supporter base. Back home in India, he is a demi-god with rabid fans who adore him. While the ardent love for cricketing stars has also resulted in fiery fan competitions, especially between Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s fanbases.
Although all these rivalries are mostly limited to social media spats, sometimes they turn into acrimonious exchanges. But during the Champions Trophy 2025 final, a strange and unfortunate incident was unearthed.
A 14-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh suffered a fatal heart attack on the day of the final, and speculation quickly arose that her untimely demise was linked to Kohli’s early dismissal in the match. Reports initially suggested that the Class 8 student, a die-hard Kohli fan, had suffered a shock after watching her idol get out cheaply.
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Days after the heartbreaking incident, the girl’s father, Ajay Pandey, stepped forward to clarify the circumstances. He confirmed that his daughter’s passing had nothing to do with Kohli’s wicket. He revealed that he was not at home when the tragedy occurred, as he had stepped out to the local market after New Zealand’s innings.
Tragic news from Deoria, UP — A young girl lost her life due to shock after Virat Kohli’s wicket fell during the #ChampionsTrophy final match. Cricket is passion, but life is precious. #ViratKohli #ChampionsTrophy2025.https://t.co/Uuo3Xh6VwD @mufaddal_vohra @CricCrazyJohns
— Aditya Gupta (@adigupta2805) March 11, 2025
After getting a shocking phone call, he rushed back, to discover that his daughter had already been rushed to the hospital, where she was declared dead. In the meantime, March 9 was a night of celebration for Team India and their fans as they beat New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
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Skipper Rohit Sharma played a captain’s innings, scoring a match-winning 76 of 83 deliveries. Kohli, though, had an out-of-character poor game, getting out for only one run after being trapped LBW by Michael Bracewell. India, despite his initial dismissal, kept their cool to claim the coveted title, winning yet another historic victory for the Men in Blue.
