T20 World Cup 2022: 3 reasons why Virat Kohli could finish as the highest run-scorer
Just two games into India's ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 campaign, Virat Kohli has become the toast of the tournament. The former skipper has rekindled his best form and has set the stage alight in Australia.
His unbeaten 53-ball 82 against arch-rivals Pakistan has already etched itself into cricketing folklore. The straight six off a good length against Haris Rauf, who was generating serious heat, is bound to be talked about for years to come.
From conjecture discussing if there was a spot in the T20 World Cup squad for Kohli to the man standing tall when India needed him the most, it has been a turnaround of the finest kind. Given the way he's going and the confidence he has shown, the signs are pointing towards plenty more runs coming off his willow this tournament.
On that note, let's look at three reasons as to why he could end this ongoing T20 World Cup with the most runs.
#1 Virat Kohli is very skillful against high quality fast-bowling
It's quite clear that survival in the T20 World Cup on fast, bouncy surfaces in Australia requires skill of the highest order while facing fast-bowlers. Kohli's prowess to that end has been a major reason for his success over the years Down Under.
He has shown that and then some in the two games that India have played thus far. With South Africa's pace battery awaiting on a fast pitch in Perth, he will hold the aces once again as India look to make it three wins out of three in the Super 12.
Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava bring immense skill themselves and Kohli is set to come up against them as the Super 12 rolls on. Expect him to hold his own and add to his run tally.
#2 Big match temperament
Kohli has won two Player of the Tournament awards at the T20 World Cup and the start he has made has put him on track for a third this year. He has always stepped up to the plate on big occasions, as the knockouts of the 2014 and 2016 editions testify.
That he has top-scored eight times in 10 fixtures against Pakistan - a nerve-wracking game like none other - further signifies how 'King Kohli' is adept at absorbing pressure.
The same was evident during the closing stages of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) epic, and this puts him a cut above the rest of his peers. This factor is another upswing in favor of him topping the run-scorers' charts at this T20 World Cup.
#3 Could play more matches if India reach the semi-finals
With two wins out of two games, India are well-placed to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. Should that happen and the team then proceed to the final, it would give Kohli a possible seven matches, including the two he has already played in the tournament.
Only 32 runs separate him and Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis, who currently leads the run-scoring charts. The semi-finals are scheduled to be played in Sydney and Adelaide, two venues where India's No. 3 boasts a tremendous record with the bat.
The stars seem to be aligning for another tournament of dominance by the star batter. He has laid down an early marker and could go on to pile on the runs and see himself perched atop the run-scorers' list by the time the T20 World Cup concludes.
Do you think Virat Kohli will end the T20 World Cup 2022 as its leading run-scorer? Who is his closest competitor? Let us know in the comments below!