Kohli played a match-winning knock of 53-ball 82* against Pakistan in India's T20 World Cup opener.
Chasing 160 to win, the Men in Blue were in dire straits at 31/4 after 6.1 overs. Amid the pressure situation, Kohli rose to the occasion as he smashed 82* off 53 balls and shared a 113-run stand with Hardik Pandya (40 off 37 balls) to put India on the brink of victory, which was eventually sealed by Ashwin on the last delivery of the match.
“Coming to Virat Kohli, I really think some spirit went inside him that day. What a knock! When I went to bat, 2 runs were required from 1 ball, Virat was so pumped up and told me to get those runs,” Ashwin said in a video posted on his Youtube channel.
Talking about his time in the middle, the off-spinner remarked: “It seemed like I was walking for ages to get to the pitch. Then I saw Virat Kohli and he told me so many things. But I thought of only one thing after seeing him. “God has given you so much today. So how will he ever let me down? So at least for you, won’t let me get these runs?” See the ball, then place it in a vacant space and just run, this is what I thought to myself.”
Ashwin also revealed that he was padded up from the third over itself during the chase.
“I think we were 45/4 at the 10-over mark. I was padded up from the 3rd over itself. Just to go as a powerplay enforcer if wickets fell early, I was padded up from the 3rd over itself. ‘Where was this game going towards, What will everyone say’ these were some of the thoughts. From 45/4, I thought the only way to win the game was if Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya score 60 runs each. If the situation came, I could do my bit with the bat and take the team through,” he stated.
Before Ashwin hit the winning shot over mid-off, he showed an incredible presence of mind by leaving a delivery that turned out to be a wide one, helping India tie the match.
“The moment I saw the ball going down the leg side, I decided not to have any business playing it and decided to leave it alone and got one run for the wide. As soon I got that run, I was so relaxed.
“As soon as I got that run, I was so happy. Now, no one will throw any stones at my home! (Laughs) If I can lift the ball and place it somewhere, it will be good,” he said on leaving the wide ball.
With 48 needed off 18 balls, Virat Kohli wreaked havoc on the Pakistan bowlers as India accumulated 17 runs in the 18th over off Shaheen Afridi and 15 runs in the penultimate over off Haris Rauf.
Ashwin lauded Kohli for his back-to-back sixes against Rauf, who has bowled superbly before that over.
“I thought God has made this guy smash Haris Rauf over his head for a 6 on the backfoot and over the square leg for another with a flick. Won’t the god allow my chip over the infield in some vacant area? And thank god, it did. What a moment,” he said.