27 January,2020 11:43 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Virat Kohli and Kobe Bryant. Pictures/ Kohli's Instagram
India cricket captain Virat Kohli was heartbroken and condoled the demise of American NBA legend Kobe Bryant stated, that he is "absolutely devastated to hear the news", on social media.
Taking to photo-sharing website Instagram, Virat Kohli went on to say that he would wake up early in the morning just to watch Kobe Bryant play. Kohli also called him a 'magician'. Take a look at Kohli's Instagram post.
"Absolutely devastated to hear this news today. So many childhood memories of waking up early and watching this magician doing things on the court that I would be mesmerized by. Life is so unpredictable and fickle. His daughter Gianna passed away too in the crash. I am absolutely Heartbroken. Rest in peace. Strength and condolences to the family," Kohli wrote.
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Bryant and his 13-year old daughter Gianna Maria Onore Bryant were among the nine people killed when a helicopter they were travelling in crashed amid foggy conditions and burst into flames in the hills above Calabasas, local media reported.
Indian opener and vice-captain Rohit Sharma also took to Instagram to pay his respects to the late Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash along with his daughter. Rohit wrote, "Sad day for the sporting world today. One of the greats of the game gone to too soon. Rest in peace Kobe Bryant and his little daughter Gianna and the other victims."
"Rest in peace Kobe and his daughter and also the victims of the helicopter crash. Devastated," Shreyas Iyer tweeted.
Taking to Twitter Jaspirt Bumrah wrote, "Gone too soon. Rest in peace legend. #KobeBryant."
Bryant, 41, and his daughter were expected at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks for a basketball game scheduled for Sunday afternoon (local time), CNN reported.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters that as per a manifest, nine people -- including the pilot -- were on board the helicopter that crashed on a hillside.
41-year-old Bryant had won five National Basketball Association (NBA) championships in his 20-year-long career while playing for Los Angeles Lakers.
Inputs from Agencies
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