‘I don't concentrate on outside noise, I just focus on my own cricket’ – Naveen-ul-Haq reacts to Virat Kohli chants during Eliminator

The eliminator of IPL 2023 saw Mumbai Indians (MI) register a thumping win over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by massive 81 runs margins at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. With this win, five-time IPL champions move ahead in the competition and will be facing defending champions, Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2. Following this defeat, the fans enormously started trolling Naveen -ul-Haq by chanting Virat Kohli’s name.

It all started in match number 43, where Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) took on LSG in Lucknow, the two players were involved in a heated verbal argument which later transformed into a brawl as the temper rose. Later, Naveen turned down KL Rahul's attempt of calming things to take a grudge against the former RCB captain. Since then the fans have been chasing Naveen on Twitter and sledging him by Virat’s name.

In the post-match presentation, when the 23-year-old was asked about the RCB stalwart’s chants, then Naveen said that he enjoys it and even likes when everyone in the stadium sledges him with Kohli chants or even any other player’s name. It really motivates the Afghanistan bowler to perform better for his team.

"I enjoy it (chanting)," Naveen said in the post-match press conference as quoted by My Khel. "I like that everybody on the ground is chanting his name or any other player's name. It gives me the passion to play well for my team” the LSG bowler added.

"don't concentrate on the outside noise. I just focus on my own cricket. It's not like if the crowd is chanting or anyone is saying something... it doesn't affect me. As professional sportsmen, you have to take it in your stride," he added.

Naveen also put out the fact that he does not consider the outside noise and just focuses on cricket and does not let these things affect his professional cricket. LSG pacer Naveen-ul-Haq was the star with the ball as the Afghan bowler bagged an impressive bowling performance claiming 4/38 against MI.  Following the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma to assist LSG in holding MI to 182/8, the LSG pacer celebrated by putting two fingers in his ears to calm the noise coming from the crowd. In the eight outings for LSG, Naveen has picked up 11 wickets with an impressive economy of 7.82 at an average of 19.89.