Rohit Sharma lifts Virat Kohli after the win against Pakistan© AFP
It was a thriller at the T20 World Cup in Melbourne on Sunday, with India coming out on top against Pakistan by four wickets. Chasing 160, India had a poor start losing four wickets inside the first seven overs. But then Virat Kohli took centre-stage. The former India captain scored an unbeaten 82 and ensured India started the mega event with a win. Pakistan gave a tough fight till the end with India needing 31 off 12 balls. In the penultimate over, bowled by Haris Rauf, Kohli hit two sixes off the fast bowler to bring down the equation to 16 off the last over.
“Those two sixes off Haris Rauf, I think that was the turning point. Not the turning point I would say; this is where the game actually came towards us a little bit because we always knew there was one over of spin bowling. So inside in 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 Asia Cup and Hardik played some shots against him,” Rohit said.
“Obviously it’s not easy when you have to bowl the last over being a spinner and only 15 or 18 runs to defend. It’s not easy. It sometimes plays both ways. The pressure is always on the bowler, I believe, in that type of situation. Yeah, I think we held our own pretty well in the last three overs. That was good to watch.”
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Rohit said that Kohli’s match-winning knock will go down one of the best knocks for India.
“Yeah, I think it has to go — his definitely 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, because until the 13th over we were so behind 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 played a role there, as well,” he said.
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