The report suggests that Virat Kohli may not be included in the Indian squad that plays Bangladesh in the warm-up match prior to the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Virat Kohli is probably not going to be available for the Indian cricket team’s June 1 warm-up match against Bangladesh, which is scheduled to precede the T20 World Cup 2024. Kohli did not travel to the USA and the West Indies with the first group of players for the showcase event; instead, he was with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team for their Eliminator match against the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. After RCB’s devastating IPL elimination, according to a report, Virat requested a prolonged leave of absence from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It is quite unlikely that he would be available for the warm-up match against Bangladesh.
According to an Indian Express article, Kohli had delayed his visa appointment late and had told the BCCI that he would be joining the team later than expected. On May 30, the lucky batter is anticipated to depart for New York. He might therefore not be prepared for the June 1 warm-up game.
“The BCCI has postponed Kohli’s visa appointment because he told us well in advance that he would be joining the squad late. It is anticipated that he would depart for New York early on May 30. The BCCI has agreed to his request,” a BCCI official told the paper.
From June 2 to June 29, the USA and the West Indies will jointly host the T20 World Cup. The Indian cricket team left India for New York, where they will play their first match at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 5 against Ireland. In their Group A matches, India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan on June 9 and then play co-hosts USA on June 12 and Canada on June 15.
Back in 2007 in South Africa, India had emerged victorious in the inaugural event.
In the US, a country that has historically produced players of baseball, American football, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer, cricket is not a popular sport.