The 11-Year-Challenge: Fiery Virat meets Cool Kane in another semi-final

They grew in stature and spread their wings in international cricket together but rival captains Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson could never have imagined leading their sides in another World Cup semi-final, this time the senior one.

The photos of 18-year-olds Kohli and Williamson prior to the U-19 World Cup semi-final in 2008, was released by the ICC and it immediately went viral.

They are as different as chalk and cheese. Kohli carries the burden of a billion hopes and is always under focus, while Williamson gives the impression of an under the radar character with vibes of a 9-5 corporate job.

But one thing that unites them is the mutual respect that champions have for each other as they fondly recollected their journey.

"It's not even 2008, I remember 2007 we went to New Zealand and we were playing an U19 Test match and he (Williamson) played a shot off one of our fast bowlers, who was quick, off the back foot," Kohli remembered.

"I remember standing in slips and telling another guy, 'I have never seen anyone play a shot like that' and he was special.

"He was always that stand-out player and had special ability to go all the way and he's a lovely guy. We get along very well," the Indian captain said, terming his opposite number and Ross Taylor as main players in rival ranks.

Williamson, on his part, felt that he always knew that Kohli was destined for success.

"He was a formidable player, growing up -- that seems odd to say because we were at the same age playing against each other on a number of occasions and then to go into international cricket at a youngish age, then IPL and these different sorts of things," the Black Caps captain said.

"So it's obviously been a pleasure watching Virat play and evolve into the superstar that he is."