Three best Virat Kohli knocks at the T20 World Cup
Virat Kohli has been a vital cog in the Indian side across all three formats for a number of years now. The former Indian captain particularly relishes playing in the T20 World Cup, winning the Player of the Tournament twice (2014 and 2016).
He has scored 845 runs in the T20 World Cups, averaging 76.81 at a strike rate of 129.60. The Delhi batter also has the most half-centuries in tournament history (10). King Kohli has a reputation for turning up on the big stage and Team India will be hoping that is the case once more.
On that note, let's take a look at the three best knocks of Virat Kohli at the T20 World Cup.
#1 82* vs Australia, 2016
In what was perhaps one of the best T20 World Cup knocks ever, Virat Kohli put on a show in the quarter-finals to help his side beat Australia. Chasing a target of 161, India got off to a slightly sluggish start and found themselves at 94/4 in14 overs.
We rewind to the 2016 @T20WorldCup, when Mohali was host to a Kohli masterclass. "He likes a fight, he likes a scrap, and he loves playing against Australia."
📽️⏪ We rewind to the 2016 @T20WorldCup, when Mohali was host to a Kohli masterclass.
How do you expect the Indian skipper to fare when the teams meet later this year? https://t.co/Yl1SMWqlWU
In an innings that was remembered for his acceleration, he was ticking along at 35 off 30 balls before switching gears flawlessly. With 39 needed off the last three overs, he put his foot on the pedal and took the attack to James Faulker and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
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Kohli scored his last 47 runs off only 21 balls and his blistering knock included nine boundaries and two sixes. Unsurprisingly, he bagged the player of the match award for his match-winning performance with the bat.
#2 72* vs South Africa, 2014
A couple of years before he established himself as India's best batter, the former U-19 captain made his mark in the T20 World Cup in 2014. He carried his side throughout the tournament and stood tall against a lethal South African bowling unit in the semi-finals.
A @imVkohli masterclass 💫
🗓️ Seven years ago vs South Africa. https://t.co/YL2k0zzmV0
Chasing a target of 173 in Mirpur, India got off to a decent start courtesy of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. With Kohli walking in during the 4th over after Rohit's dismissal, he dictated terms against a bowling unit consisting of the likes of Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir and Morne Morkel.
The elegant batter blasted his way to an unbeaten 72* off 44 deliveries and later admitted that it was his best T20 knock. It helped India reach their first T20 World Cup final since 2007.
#3 55* vs Pakistan, 2016
Virat Kohli was at the peak of his powers in 2016 and set the tone for his side early into the T20 World Cup that year. India played Pakistan in the Super 10 stage at Eden Gardens. Restricting their arch-rivals to a miserly total of 118 in a rain-curtailed game, the hosts found themselves in a spot of bother at 23-3 in the fifth over.
With tricky conditions around, the Pakistani pacers responded strongly and ran riot with the new ball. The Indian top-order struggled to deal with the swing on offer and were bailed out by their number three, who seemed to be playing on a different planet altogether.
While the rest of the batting unit struggled to cope with the conditions, the swashbuckling batter blitzed away to score an unbeaten half-century. He slammed 55* off 37 deliveries, which included seven fours and a six.