Having finished the IPL 2024 season as the leading run-getter, Virat Kohli entered into the ongoing T20 World Cup with a lot of expectations.

However, India’s star batter failed to rise to the occasion. He registered scores of 1, 4, 0, 24, 37, and 0 in the group stage and Super 8 round matches.

Kohli endured another failure in the semi-final against England in Guyana on Thursday (June 27) as he was dismissed for run-a-ball 9 by left-arm pacer Reece Topley.

Despite the low scores, experts and veteran cricketers are hoping for a big knock from Virat Kohli in the title clash against South Africa in Barbados on Saturday (June 29).

Ahead of the final, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif reminded Kohli of MS Dhoni and his match-winning knock in the 2011 ODI World Cup final.

Taking to his official X handle, Kaif mentioned that akin to Kohli, Dhoni too had struggled to find his form during that World Cup until the final, where he slammed 91* off 79 balls to script India’s six-wicket win over Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium.

Kaif backed Kohli to play the Dhoni-like innings in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against the potent South African bowling attack.

"Virat Kohli needs to remember that even Dhoni didn't have a great World Cup in 2011 but he found form in the final. Small suggestion: He is too good a player to slog, he can play ball on merit and dominate any bowling attack," Kaif said.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni was out of form in 2011 ODI World Cup. He played an unbeaten 91-run knock in the final. His six over long on off Kulasekara is etched in everybody's mind. That's why I think Virat Kohli has a great chance to become a hero. He must forget that he is in poor form. He had hit a century when India last played South Africa in the ODI World Cup at Eden Gardens. He was brilliant that day and played very well but he wasn't slogging that day but was playing the ball on merit with proper cricket shots,” he added.

Talking about India’s campaign in this T20 World Cup, it has been flawless so far. The Men in Blue defeated Ireland, Pakistan and USA in the group stage matches in New York while their fixture against Canada was abandoned due to wet outfield in Florida.

Subsequently, the Indian team travelled to the Caribbean for the Super 8 round, where they triumphed over Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Australia to enter the semis.

In the semi-final, India outclassed the defending champions England in all facets of the game to make it to the final for the first time since 2014.