Ex-Indian captain Virat Kohli recently discussed his memorable unbeaten innings of 82 runs against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne. Reflecting on his preparation for the crucial match, Kohli shared that he started the day by making his breakfast and coffee before hitting the gym.
The experienced player also disclosed his preference for taking an afternoon nap on T20 matchdays. In a Star Sports interview, Kohli expressed:
“I woke up at 7:30 or 8 and made myself a couple of cups of coffee and breakfast. Surprisingly, I was getting into a routine before every game. I used to go to the gym for mobility exercises, stretches, and stuff. In T20 cricket, I take an afternoon nap.”
Pursuing a challenging target of 160 runs, India encountered a difficult situation, finding themselves at a precarious 26/3 initially. Adding to the trouble, a miscommunication between Virat Kohli and Axar Patel led to the latter being run out.
Discussing this run-out and India’s overall situation, Kohli mentioned:
“I had not expected that we would lose four wickets so early. I said sorry to Axar; it was my fault. It was spiralling down even further. Looking at the batting lineup, you generally think, ‘Who’s left now’. I could not understand what was happening. There was a run out, and we were 4/45, and I was batting on 12 off 21 balls. It couldn’t be worse than this.”
The 35-year-old revealed that he seized an opportunity when he noticed the Pakistani fielders engaged in a dispute on the field. He indicated that it was the opportune moment for him to escalate his performance, stating:
“My first words to him (Hardik Pandya) were let’s build a partnership. I very keenly look for a moment where people are arguing over something on the field. That is the time I usually try to capitalise. We had taken the game deep, and this was the time when we needed to capitalise. We got back-to-back fours, so we were on the right track.”
Virat Kohli contributed to a remarkable 113-run partnership with Hardik Pandya for the fifth wicket, providing India with a glimpse of optimism. Despite this, the chasing team remained under pressure as the required equation came down to 31 runs off 12 balls.
“He had bowled the best for them in that match” – Virat Kohli on Haris Rauf
Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf had the crucial role of bowling the 19th over. Virat Kohli expressed his desire to score 20 runs in that over, acknowledging the challenge it presented. Kohli continued:
“You’d want to score 20 in that over. But realistically, he had bowled the best for them in that match. He bowls at 145 kmph and has a good bouncer and a yorker. You can set a target, but then reality hits you that the person in front might not let you do that very easily. I was talking to myself. I said something like, ‘Come on Cheeks, you have to hit two sixes.’
Rauf commenced impressively, conceding only three runs from the initial four balls. However, Kohli stepped up, delivering a remarkable six down the ground, later acclaimed as the ICC’s shot of the century. Kohli continued the momentum with another six, steering India back into contention. In the end, Rohit Sharma and the team secured a memorable four-wicket triumph after a tense last over from left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz.
Revealing his emotions after the win, Kohli expressed:
“It was amazing! Even if I dreamt about something like this, I cannot make it any more perfect. The messages I received after the match, one constant thing people kept telling me was, ‘You don’t know what you have done.’. So when I spoke to Anushka as well the next day, she said, ‘You don’t know how much happiness you’ve given to everyone.’”
Virat Kohli is set to participate in the upcoming second T20I of the ongoing three-match series against Afghanistan. The game is scheduled to take place at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday, January 14.
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