Virat Kohli proved to be a match-winner yet again for India, as the Men in Blue defeated their arch-rivals Pakistan in a thrilling encounter of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 which was played in MCG on October 23, 2022.
Set 160 to win by Pakistan, the Indian team found themselves in deep trouble at 31/4 in 6 overs. But thankfully, Virat Kohli was there and he and Hardik Pandya stabilized the innings well, as they added 113 runs for the fifth wicket. Kohli completed his half-century in 43 balls as Pakistan held the aces.
India needed 29 runs in the last 12 balls and with Haris Rauf in brilliant form, Virat Kohli showed why he is called the GOAT, as he slammed two sixes off the last two balls from Rauf to set up a thrilling last over.
Hardik Pandya fell on the first ball for 40 runs, and then Dinesh Karthik got stumped. But a six off a no-ball by Virat Kohli and then three runs from a bye, helped India stay in the game.
R Ashwin had the task to score 2 runs off the last two balls and with one needed off the final ball, Ashwin hit Mohammad Nawaz over the mid-off for the 4-wicket win.
After the win, Virat Kohli let go of his emotions and celebrated wildly with his teammates rushing to him and Rohit Sharma even lifting him. He remained unbeaten on 82 with 6 fours and 4 sixes to his name.
After the win, Virat Kohli won the Player of the Match, was quoted as saying by Star Sports:
"Well, it's a surreal atmosphere. I honestly have no words. I have no idea how that happened. Hardik kept telling me, just believe we can stay till the end. I'm lost for words. Well, I think when Shaheen bowled from the Pavilion end, I told Hardik we have to take him down. The calculation was simple. Nawaz had one over to bowl, so if I could take Haris down, they would panic. It came down to 16 off 6. I'm kind of lost for words.
[On the two sixes off Rauf:] It's just instinctively I saw it, told myself to stay still. The one at long-on was unexpected, it was a back-of-a-length slower ball. The fine leg one, I just threw my bat at it. Till today I said Mohali was my best T20 innings. Then I got 82 off 52, today I got 82 off 53. Both are just as special. All these months when I was struggling, you guys [the crowd] kept me going. Thank you so much."
Here is the video of Virat Kohli’s celebration after India won against Pakistan:
