The Influencer Journalists Tried to Buy — But Couldn’t

Fans observed cricket star Virat Kohli interacting with an older Instagram post from German-South African travel vlogger LizLaz in April 2026

By Neelima 

Hyderabad: It started with a simple Instagram like. It ended with a media scandal nobody saw coming.

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In mid-April 2026, fans noticed that Virat Kohli had liked an old Instagram post from LizLaz, a popular German-South African travel vlogger and model. Screenshots spread across social media within hours, and the internet did what it does best — it exploded.

LizLaz, whose real name is Jennifer, is known for her travel vlogs documenting her experiences across different countries, including Indian culture, food, and lifestyle. She had a following before, but her social media numbers surged after Kohli’s ‘like’ of her Instagram post. Suddenly, millions of cricket fans across India and Germany were searching her name.

But what happened next was far more disturbing than a viral moment. In a conversation with Filmymantra Media, LizLaz revealed that various media entities contacted her and attempted to solicit fabricated stories and damaging allegations against the star cricketer. The pressure, she said, was real.

“Some people even pressure you to say things you don’t want to say. Some journalists even offered me money to say bad things about him and make allegations he never made. But why would I do that? I said it myself that he’s my favourite cricketer. So why would I say bad things about him for money? I’m not that kind of person,” she said firmly.

This is not the first time Kohli has faced such an incident. Last year, a similar situation occurred when he liked a fan page post related to Indian actress Avneet Kaur, after which the cricketer released a public statement to clarify the matter. LizLaz’s refusal to play along has actually earned her widespread respect online, with many fans praising her honesty. In a media landscape where controversy sells, she chose integrity — and that, perhaps, is the real story here.