The influencer LizLaz who gained instant internet fame after Virat Kohli accidentally liked her Instagram post has made public her claim that journalists approached her with cash offers to create false statements about the cricket star.

She maintained her defense of Kohli after receiving sudden public attention because she believed he "did nothing wrong."

After a viral wave the LizLaz starlet said some sections of the media wanted to blow up the issue for its own profit.

“Some people also push you to say certain things you don’t want to say. 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.

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.

She believes that the interaction came about because of Instagram's algorithm. She creates travel content that showcases Indian culture while she tracks the Indian Premier League and his Royal Challengers Bengaluru team.

“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 explained how her unexpected internet popularity brought her multiple professional opportunities. 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.