India and Australia cricket matches have always been made interesting by individual duels between players, and the most eventful clash between players through the ongoing limited-overs series has been between India’s Virat Kohli and Australia’s James Faulkner. There was a twist to their encounter in the 2nd T20I, as Faulkner showed a moment of sportsmanship towards his adversary.
The heart-warming incident, a surprising culmination to what has been a heated rivalry over the last few weeks, came about in the 19th over.
Kohli and Dhoni were at the crease at the time, looking to blast India’s score close to 200. On the fourth delivery of Faulkner’s over, Kohli drove over point and set off for a double, but unfortunately slipped as he was turning back for a second run.
Faulkner, despite being in the heat of the battle, went up to Kohli and helped him get up on his feet. His gesture showed that he may be playing the game hard, but he also had the grace to help an opponent who was on the ground. Kohli, who had lost a run because of his fall, returned the gesture by giving Faulkner a pat on the back.
A rare moment of truce in a time of pitched battle.
Funnily, Kohli had given Faulkner a withering look earlier in the same over when Dhoni had dispatched the bowler for a boundary.
Their duel has been in the news over the last few matches with a lot of words exchanged between the two, something neither player has expressed any complaints about.
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