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England pacer Liam Plunkett claimed that Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam are as popular as NBA icon LeBron James. The 2019 World Cup-winning captain remarked on the high demand for tickets for the clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20I World Cup. The neighbouring nations and cricket rivals are set to lock horns on June 9 in New York.
Ahead of the tournament, Plunkett said that the massive demands of tickets blew him away and went on to compare the popularity of the cricketers to the NBA star. He told AFP, “I know it’s hard to get tickets. People are asking me for tickets like I am Ticketmaster or something. I have got nothing to do with it. I am sure there will be a resale value. I said to someone, ‘If you had Babar Azam and Vira Kohli next to LeBron James, the queues for the cricketers would be just as long or not longer.’ They are so massive around the world.”
He added, “People don’t believe that. People in America don’t realise that more people watch India vs Pakistan than watch the Super Bowl, which is crazy.”
Jos can be player of the World Cup: Liam Plunkett
Plunkett, who last played for England in the World Cup 2019 said that Jos Buttler can be the player of the T20I World Cup if he plays the tournament. He also spoke about England’s below-par performance in the ODI 2023 World Cup. Plunkett said, “Obviously, they didn’t perform in the last 50-over World Cup. But they have got some of the best players in the world. If they catch fire they can change games.”
He added, "Jos struggled last time, but if he turns up, he can be the player of the World Cup.” Notably, Buttler is currently in India for the IPL 2024, playing for the Rajasthan Royals.
