"The complete turnaround actually saved Virat Kohli's innings"- Sanjay Manjrekar's bold claim on strike rate after T20 World Cup final
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar wouldn't have given Virat Kohli the Player of the Match award in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa. Kohli scored 76 runs off 59 balls as the Men in Blue beat the Proteas by seven runs and clinched their second T20 World Cup crown.
However, Manjrekar shed light on how South Africa were in a commanding position with just 30 runs needed off the final five overs and six wickets in hand. He felt that the incredible effort from the bowlers saved Kohli from questions about his approach and strike rate.
On this, here's what Sanjay Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo:
"India were in a losing position, 90 percent winning chances (for South Africa). The complete turnaround actually saved Virat Kohli's innings because he played virtually half the innings with a strike-rate of 128. My Player of the Match would've been a bowler because they actually took the game from the jaws of defeat and won it for India."
Jasprit Bumrah (2/18), Arshdeep Singh (2/20) and Hardik Pandya (3/20) were incredible with the ball at the backend as South Africa's lower middle order wilted under pressure. Bumrah also won the Player of the Tournament award for his 15 scalps and an incredible economy rate of just over four an over.
Virat Kohli's innings would have put India in a tight corner: Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar also highlighted how Hardik Pandya, India's in-form finisher, got to face just a couple of deliveries. He feels those extra deliveries taken up by Virat Kohli to get going could have cost India the final.
On this, he stated:
"By playing that innings, Hardik Pandya, one of their most devastating batters, had just two balls to face. So I thought India's batting was good, but Virat Kohli had potentially played an innings that would've put India in a tight corner. And it almost proved to be that, before these guys' bowlers came in the end."
Kohli announced after the end of the game that he would no longer play T20Is for India. He finished his T20I career playing 125 games and scoring a staggering 4188 runs at an outstanding average of 48.69.