[Watch] Virat Kohli playing with cute puppy during practice session in Colombo ahead of Indo-Pak Asia Cup 2023 Super4 game

Virat Kohli, who loves pet animals, was seen playing with a cute puppy during the practice session at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, September 8.

In a video doing rounds on social media, Kohli can be seen patting the puppy on the back. He even played football with him as the pup ran toward the ball in a flash.

Sharing the video on X (formerly known as Twitter), a fan wrote:

“Virat Kohli playing with a cute puppy during the practice session in Colombo today.”

Watch the video below:

For the uninitiated, Kohli is a pure vegetarian and loves animals. He was named PETA (People of the Ethical Treatment of Animals) India’s Person of the Year for 2019 for being an advocate for animals.

In 2021, the cricketer opened two animal shelters in Mumbai – Malad and Boisar. The former is a temporary rehabilitation center for dogs and cats. It provides medical assistance to wounded and injured animals.

The permanent shelter in Boisar is for animals that are blind, paralyzed, and suffering from life-long diseases or old age. Back then, Kohli said in a statement:

“Looking after the welfare of animals is a cause very close to my heart now as Anushka [Sharma] is very passionate about this issue. It is our dream to create a safer space for the stray animals.”

---

Asia Cup: Virat Kohli needs 98 runs to reach 13,000 runs in ODIs

On the professional front, Virat Kohli will next be in action against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023’s Super-4 stage in Colombo on Sunday, September 10.

The right-handed batter previously departed for just four runs off seven games, getting chopped on by left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi in a rain-hit match in Pallekele on September 2.

The senior batter, though, has amassed over 500 runs in 14 ODIs against the Men in Green, including two tons with the best score of 183 in Asia Cup.

Kohli will now look to make amends in the upcoming game. The Delhi-born batter needs 98 runs to become the fastest to score 13,000 runs in ODIs. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar currently holds the record, having reached the feat. in 321 innings.