MUMBAI: The social media storm surrounding Indian cricket star Virat Kohli and German influencer Lizlaz has taken a new turn, with the influencer publicly praising the RCB batter while claiming she was offered money to make unfounded allegations against him.
The incident originated around April 17, 2026, when Kohli’s verified Instagram account appeared to like an older golden-hour photoshoot image of LizLaz, captured by celebrity photographer Advait Vaidya. The like was quickly removed, but screenshots circulated widely, generating memes, speculation, and comparisons to a prior 2025 event involving actress Avneet Kaur that Kohli’s team had attributed to an algorithm issue. Kohli does not follow LizLaz on the platform.
Who Is LizLaz?
LizLaz whose real name is Jennifer is a German-South African content creator who has built her digital presence around travel vlogs, cultural storytelling, and lifestyle content. The multilingual influencer holds a master’s degree in psychology, and her content frequently explores her experiences across different countries, including her relationship with Indian food, culture, and traditions.
Prior to the Kohli incident, she had cultivated a modest but loyal following online. Her social media numbers, however, surged significantly after news of Kohli’s Instagram interaction began circulating, propelling her into the mainstream Indian media spotlight almost overnight.
“I Was Very Happy and a Little Emotional”
In an interview with FilmyMantra, LizLaz opened up candidly about the experience, describing it as something she had never anticipated. “I was very happy and a little emotional about it, but I never expected something like this to happen,” she said, reflecting on the wave of attention that followed. She acknowledged that the incident brought with it both the warmth of Indian fans and the unsolicited pressure of media attention.
“I found out because people started calling me. I didn’t even see it in my notifications,” she said. “I opened Google and there were pages and pages about me. It felt very unreal.” She likened the experience to an episode of Black Mirror.
Speaking about the moment she realised the story had gone viral, LizLaz described the experience as “unreal,” noting that she had no idea a simple social media notification would make her a household name in one of the world’s most cricket-obsessed nations.
She expressed initial happiness mixed with sympathy for Kohli. “I don’t think he wanted this media coverage. It was just a like. He did nothing inappropriate,” she stated, adding that she felt sorry for the trolling he faced. LizLaz praised Kohli effusively, calling him “the Messi or Ronaldo of Asia” and confirming he is her favourite cricketer. She noted her support for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and her India-related content as possible reasons the post appeared on his feed.
The Bribery Allegation
The most alarming aspect of LizLaz’s revelations, however, had little to do with Kohli himself and everything to do with the conduct of certain media figures who sought to use her as a vehicle for sensationalism. According to the influencer, multiple calls came in from journalists and magazine representatives asking her to make statements that were neither true nor fair.
“I would get so many calls from different magazines. Some people even pressure you to say things you don’t want to say,” she stated in the FilmyMantra interview. “Some journalists even offered me money to say bad things about him (Virat Kohli) and make allegations about things he never did. But why would I do that? I said it myself that he’s my favourite cricketer. So why would I throw shade at him for money? I’m not that kind of person…”
The influencer also addressed those who reportedly wanted her to publicly defame the cricketer: “Some people wanted me to throw shade at him and say things he never did. But why would I do that?”
The revelation has triggered strong reactions online, with many fans praising LizLaz for standing firm in the face of what they describe as calculated attempts by some media quarters to manufacture controversy around Kohli’s image.
“The Messi or Ronaldo of Asia”: LizLaz on Kohli’s Global Stature
Away from the ethical concerns, LizLaz also spoke glowingly about Kohli himself, framing his global celebrity in terms that resonate well beyond the cricketing world. She referred to him as “the Messi or Ronaldo of Asia” an analogy that speaks to the scale of Kohli’s fame and influence, likening his stature in this part of the world to that of the two most globally recognised footballers of the modern era.
With over 273 million followers on Instagram alone, Kohli is among the most-followed athletes in the world on social media, a platform where even the briefest interaction can become headline news within minutes.
AI-Generated Images and the Spread of Misinformation
Adding another layer to the controversy, AI-generated images depicting LizLaz alongside Kohli began circulating online, further fuelling speculation and public curiosity. LizLaz was asked about these doctored visuals and responded with a measured calm.
“For me, it’s funny. For him, it is not nice. I don’t think it was his intention, and he did not do anything inappropriate,” she said.
Silver Lining: A Surge in Visibility and Opportunities
Despite the uncomfortable aspects of the episode, LizLaz acknowledged that the controversy brought with it a significant uptick in her professional prospects. Her social media following grew considerably in the wake of the viral moment, and she received offers for brand collaborations and reality show appearances. She anchored an ICC cricket match between Germany and Austria, where she handled post-match moderation, player interviews, and the trophy ceremony. Currently in Mumbai, she has expressed interest in Bollywood, stating, “If I get a good Bollywood role, I’ll learn Hindi every single day for it.”
However, she maintained that she has been selective in the opportunities she has chosen to pursue, signalling an intention to grow her platform without exploiting the goodwill of someone else’s reputation.
She also clarified that she is a genuine fan of Kohli’s team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and has followed the Indian Premier League (IPL) with keen interest, lending authenticity to her admiration for the cricketer.
Kohli Remains Silent; On-Field Form Under Scrutiny
Virat Kohli has not issued any public statement regarding either the original Instagram interaction or LizLaz’s subsequent revelations. The cricketer’s management has also refrained from commenting on the matter.
On the field, Kohli’s IPL 2026 campaign with RCB has been a mixed affair. After a strong start to the season, his form in recent matches has dipped including consecutive ducks against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians, marking the first time since 2022 that he has registered back-to-back scores of zero in the tournament.
Beyond the celebrity spectacle, this episode raises a serious and uncomfortable question about journalistic conduct. Based on the accounts shared by LizLaz, certain sections of the media appeared to be attempting to manufacture a scandal by financially incentivising an outside party to make false statements. That is not a footnote to this story. It is, arguably, the story itself.
In the age of social media virality, where a single screenshot can dominate the national conversation for days, the temptation to manufacture drama around high-profile figures is evidently not limited to anonymous trolls. That trained journalists individuals bound by professional and ethical obligations may have allegedly participated in such conduct is deeply troubling, and merits scrutiny far beyond what this particular controversy has thus far attracted.
LizLaz stated that she would not participate in spreading false claims, regardless of the financial offers involved. Her remarks have since drawn significant attention online, particularly among followers of both the influencer and the cricketer she declined to speak against.
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