While the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is going on in full swing in India, social media is on a buzz discussing which cricketer is the Great of All Time (GOAT). While every fan has their own opinion, the majority of fans reckon that Team India's star batter Virat Kohli should be termed GOAT. On Sunday, Virat Kohli once again showcased his prowess and brought Team India to the verge of victory chasing a tricky target of 274 runs in Dharamshala against New Zealand. It was Kohli's 95 runs that turned out to be a deciding factor apart from Shami's five-wicket haul to register their first win against New Zealand in a span of 20 years in the ICC tournament. After Team India defeated New Zeland by 4 wickets, former Pakistani player Shoaib Akhtar joined the GOAT debate and surprisingly left Virat Kohli from his three picks.
Shoaib Akhtar on his YouTube channel picked three GOATs and stated that it is his personal opinion that many may disagree with. The former Pakistani player's three 'GOAT' picks were Shane Warne, Wasim Akram and Sachin Tendulkar.
Akhtar on his YouTube channel said, "My three favourite cricketers with whom I have played are Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, and Sachin Tendulkar. No other spinners have come in cricket who are as good as Shane Warne. Though I like Waqar Younis more, if I see the skill set & talent then I think Wasim Akram is the best ever. In terms of batting, there is one and only Sachin Tendulkar."
Explaining why he thinks Sachin Tendulkar is the GOAT of batting, Akhtar said that Sachin faced the likes of Jeff Thompson, Denis Lillee, and Wasim Akram when he was just 16. After facing them at his peak, Sachin then faced the likes of me (Shoaib Akhtar), Brett Lee, Glen McGrath, and more for many years. "When he already concluded his peak from 1989 to 1999, then he had to face someone like me."
It is pertinent to mention here Akhtar also praised Kohli for his modern-day cricket prowess and stated that he believes that he will break Sachin Tendulkar's record in ODI cricket.
Watch