Rohit Sharma lifts Virat Kohli after victory over Pakistan© AFP
It was a thriller at the T20 World Cup in Melbourne on Sunday, with India leading the way against Pakistan by four wickets. In the pursuit of 160, India got off to a bad start, losing four wickets in the first seven overs. But then Virat Kohli took center stage. The former India captain scored an unbeaten 82 to see India kick off the mega event with a win. Pakistan fought hard to the very end, with India needing 31 out of 12 balls. In the penultimate over, bowled by Haris Rauf, Kohli hit two sixes from the fast bowler to reduce the comparison to 16 from the last over.
“Those two sixes from Haris Rauf, I think that was the turning point. Not the turning point I would say; this is where the game kind of kind of came to us because we always knew there was one left from spin bowling. So in in the locker room we thought if we can hold over in the last about 15 to 18 runs then the guy will be pressured to throw the last one over he threw the last one over against us in Asia Cup and Hardik played some shots against him,” Rohit said.
“Of course it’s not easy when you have to bowl last because you’re a spinner and only have 15 or 18 runs to defend. It’s not easy. It plays both ways sometimes. The pressure is always on the bowler I believe , in those kinds of games. Yeah, I think we’ve held up pretty well in the last three overs. That was good to see.”
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Rohit said Kohli’s winning knock will be one of the best hits for India.
“Yeah, I think it should go – its absolute best for sure, but I think given the situation we were in, and to come out with a win, I think it has to be one of India’s best strokes, not just his best knock, because until the 13th we were so behind in the game, and the speed required was only climbing up and down, but to come out and chase that score was an extremely brilliant effort by Virat, and then Hardik clearly played a part there, too,” he said.
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