Influencer LizLaz says she was offered money to 'defame' Virat Kohli after his like on her post: 'Why would I do this to my favourite cricketer?'

LizLaz, the influencer who became an overnight internet sensation earlier this year after Virat Kohli accidentally ‘liked’ one of her Instagram posts, has now revealed that several journalists allegedly approached her with offers of money to make misleading claims about the cricket star. Despite the sudden attention, she firmly defended Kohli, insisting he “did nothing wrong.”Speaking about the aftermath of the viral moment, LizLaz claimed that some sections of the media attempted to sensationalise the issue for their own benefit. “Some people also push you to say certain things you don’t want to say. So, there were some journalists who’d offer me money to throw shade at him, to say things he apparently did that he did not,” LizLaz told Filmymantra.The influencer, who has often called Kohli her favourite cricketer, said she immediately rejected those offers. “But why would I do this to my favourite cricketer? I’m not like this. But yes, things like these also happen,” she said. She also addressed the AI-generated images of herself and Kohli that have been circulating online since the controversy erupted.“For me, it’s quite funny. But for him, it’s not nice because it (liking her post) was never his intention. And he didn’t do anything inappropriate,” maintained LizLaz. According to her, the interaction may simply have been a result of Instagram’s algorithm. Since she creates travel-related content around Indian culture and follows the Indian Premier League, especially Kohli’s franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru, she believes her content could naturally have appeared on his feed.“There’s nothing wrong with this. I don’t think it should be questioned,” she said, before adding, “Virat Kohli is a big icon of India. He’s basically the Messi or Ronaldo of India. So, I think people shouldn’t destroy his name like this. He should be respected. I don’t think he had any bad intention or he was reaching out to me inappropriately. He did nothing wrong,” argued LizLaz.Reflecting on the day the incident exploded online, the influencer described the experience as surreal. “I woke up one day and felt I was in my own Black Mirror episode,” she said, referring to the popular dystopian series Black Mirror. “I was scrolling through the news on Instagram, and I could see only pictures of myself on some big magazines and big podcasts talking about this. Even German and South African media covered this,” she added. She also joked that Kohli had become even more popular in Germany because of the episode.LizLaz further revealed that the sudden viral fame opened several doors professionally. She received offers for reality shows, brand endorsements and even casino promotions after the controversy. However, she stressed that she intends to accept only projects that align with her values rather than cashing in on every opportunity. She also shared that the buzz eventually led to a cricket match being organised in Germany, where she worked as an anchor.Kohli, who currently has over 274 million followers on Instagram, has often found his social media activity becoming a topic of discussion online. A few years ago, singer Rahul Vaidya claimed that the cricketer had blocked him on Instagram, although it was never confirmed whether it was an actual block or simply the platform’s algorithm affecting visibility.