ODI World Cup: Steve Smith appreciates Virat Kohli gesture from 2019 tournament

Steve Smith commented on the sweet gesture from Virat Kohli during the 2019 World Cup when the Indian star stepped in to save him from the boos of the Indian fans.

Kohli is known not only for his exceptional skills on the field, but also for his sportsmanship. This was particularly evident during the 2019 ICC World Cup when he stood up for Australian cricketer Steve Smith.

In a match between India and Australia at The Oval in London, some Indian fans started booing Smith, who was fielding at the boundary line. Smith had recently returned to international cricket after serving a one-year



suspension for his involvement in a ball-tampering incident which had tarnished his reputation.

Kohli, who was batting at the time, noticed the crowd's behavior and took it upon himself to intervene. He gestured towards the section of Indian fans who were booing Smith, asking them to stop and instead applaud him. This act of sportsmanship was instinctive, according to Kohli, who later explained that he felt it was unfair to target an individual personally for past mistakes.

Speaking to Star Sports, as quoted by OneCricket, Smith said it was a nice gesture from the Indian star and said he appreciates it.