Virat Kohli led the charge for Team India with a phenomenal knock against Pakistan, dropping the anchor initially before going all guns blazing. He stayed unbeaten for an exquisite 82 from just 53 balls, condemning Pakistan to a defeat on the last ball of the innings.
This however, isn’t something new to the fans who have been observing the Virat Kohli for a while. He was always known as the chase master and the kind of dominance that he has stitched with the bat while chasing down totals in any format of the game has been treat to the eyes. However, he coms alive in his most intimidating avatar in the shortest format of the game.
Here are the top 5 knocks of Virat Kohli in T20I cricket.
#1 82* (53) vs Pakistan, MCG, 2022
With his team teetering at 31 for the loss of 4, Virat was at the tail-end of a story that not only needed penning but a fine restructuring too. There was very minimal help that he received from the other end but he didn’t give his innings up. Once Hardik Pandya started stabilizing the innings, Virat bid his own time, ran hard between the wickets and when the time came knocking, he came down heavily upon the Pakistani bowlers including Shaheen Shah Afridi. With 48 needed off 18, he brought down the equation to 28 off 8. With Haris Rauf being in fine touch till then, dared to test Kohli and the latter parked him with two of the most exotic cricket shots that defied physics to make it game on for the Men in Blue.
#2 82* (51) vs Australia, Mohali, 2016
This was another of his phenomenal chases where he was in top notch touch, nudging and nurdling his way through the Australian fielders comfortably. However, once the equation read 38 needed off the final 3, he came down heavily upon Nathan Coulter-Nile and James Faulkner, picking the gaps perfectly and playing a handful of gorgeous cricketing strokes that left Australia with very little to do. No matter how good they bowled, the results would eventually be the same as India clawed their way to the finish line riding high on Virat’s shoulders.
#3 94* (50) vs West Indies, Hyderabad, 2019
This was India’s second highest chase in T20Is, thanks to another very special display from Virat Kohli and a commanding 94 which reduced the Caribbean bowlers to dust. Rohit Sharma fell early and India needed support against an invasive West Indies. Things were pretty much on the lower side when he started batting as he could only gather 20 from the first 20 balls. However, shortly thereafter he picked up a heated altercation with Kesrick Williams and what followed was a total demolition of the Islanders.
#4 70* (29) vs West Indies, Mumbai, 2019
This was another commanding display of his extreme fitness, as he came back from a high scoring 94 and pounded this 70 that took him only 29 balls to leave his counterparts in arrant agony. Within just 4 days of his imperious display of power at Hyderabad, this time it was Mumbai who was gearing up for a Virat Kohli special. Openers, KL Rahul and Rohit helped India to a 135 run stand while Kohli, coming out to bat in the 12th over, smashed the blitzkrieg that propelled India to 240.
#5 72* (44) vs South Africa, Mirpur, 2014
In a T20 World Cup semi-final where your opponent has the big name of a prime Dale Steyn, chasing down 93 from the final 10 overs is no joke. However, when you have the big name of Virat Kohli in your ranks, everything is possible. Kohli’s impressive running between the wickets, laced with a handful of fine strikes saw him finishing the game at 72 from 44 balls, that also helped seal a final berth against their continental neighbours.
