Virat Kohli’s century sparks celebration; Javed Akhtar shuts down trolls

Mumbai: India secured its second victory in the ICC Champions Trophy after defeating Pakistan and Bangladesh, with Virat Kohli emerging as the star of the match in Dubai. Kohli played an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, hitting seven fours. It marked his 51st ODI century and a historic milestone, making him the third cricketer to cross 14,000 ODI runs after Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234). His fans celebrated the achievement like a festival.

Among the admirers was National Award-winning lyricist Javed Akhtar, who took to social media to praise Kohli and Team India. On X (formerly Twitter), Akhtar wrote, “Virat Kohli Zindabad, we are very proud of you.” However, his post attracted trolls.

One user sarcastically commented, “Aaj suraj kaha se nikla. Andar se dukh hoga apko to.”

Akhtar, known for his sharp wit, fired back, “Tumhari message se pata lagta hai ke kaisay maa boop ki aulad ho aur tumhare parivar ne tum ko kya sanskaari diye hain .” It means, “Your message shows what kind of upbringing you have and the values your family instilled in you.”

Responding to another troll, he wrote, “When your ancestors were licking the boots of the British, mine were fighting for independence and enduring jail and exile. My blood carries the legacy of freedom fighters, while yours carries that of British loyalists. Never forget this difference.”

Despite the criticism, Akhtar remained firm in his stance, celebrating Kohli’s achievement while silencing his detractors.