India skipper Rohit Sharma heaped praise on Virat Kohli for his match-winning knock against arch-rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2022 at MCG on Sunday (October 23).
Speaking after the game, Rohit declared Kohli’s 82 not off 53 balls as not only his best but the most accomplished knock played in India’s T20I history.
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 once again and took India over the finishing line.
"Yeah, I think it has to go -- definitely his best for sure, but I think from the situation we were in, and to come out with a victory, I think it has to be one of India's best knocks, not just his best knock," Rohit told media persons after India's four-wicket win over Pakistan.
The captain then explained why he rated this innings as India's best knock in the shortest format of the game.
"Because until the 13th over (needing close to 100 runs), we were so behind in the game, and the required rate was just climbing up and up. But to come out and chase that score was an extremely brilliant effort from Virat, and then obviously Hardik (Pandya) played a role there, as well," he added.
Kohli added 113 runs for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya to keep India in the hunt. In the process, Kohli notched up his half-century off 43 balls and after completing the milestone, he took wreaked havoc on the Pakistani bowlers.
With 48 needed off 18 balls, Kohli played a vital role as India accumulated 17 runs in the 18th over off Shaheen Afridi and 15 runs in the penultimate over off Haris Rauf to make the equation – 16 off last 6 balls.
While Pandya (40 off 37 balls) lost his wicket on the first delivery of the final over to Mohammad Nawaz, Kohli held the one end and hit the left-arm spinner for six off a no-ball followed by a three to put India on the brink of victory, which Nawaz’s wide and R Ashwin’s sealed.
"I thought both of them, because these guys have played under pressure so many games for us, so they knew exactly how to handle that kind of situation, and they did pretty well in that situation," the skipper effusive in the praise of Kohli-Pandya partnership.
While questions were raised over Kohli's ability to win games lately, Rohit Sharma had never doubted his predecessor.
"Speaking about Virat, I honestly don't think he was struggling with form or anything. He was batting as good as he was, but with him, the expectations are always so high that even if he gets a good 30 or 40, people tend to talk about it," he stated.
As a part of the team management, Rohit never felt the need to put pressure on Kohli.
"From the team management's perspective, I thought he was in good space right from the Asia Cup, where he got a month off and then he came back to the Asia Cup. He was fresh, got a brilliant hundred there, got a couple of fifties if I'm not wrong.
"And then leading up to the World Cup, we know the quality that he has, and he's done so well in these types of conditions in all three forms."
Rohit Sharma believed the game can be won when Kohli smoked Haris Rauf for two sixes in the 19th over.
"It was probably one of the best I've witnessed in a partnership, and then obviously Virat was brilliant. Those two successive sixes off Haris Rauf, I won't call it the turning point but would definitely say; this is where the game actually came towards us a little bit," he remarked.
"We always knew there was one over of spin bowling. So inside the dressing room we were thinking if we can keep about 15 to 18 runs in the last over, the guy is going to be under pressure to bowl that last over.
"He bowled that last over against us in the Asia Cup and Hardik played some shots against him."
(With PTI inputs)
