Virat Kohli Birthday: Top 5 Kohli knocks in T20Is

Image result for Kohli 89* vs West Indies – Mumbai, World T20 (2016)
Kohli at the 2016 World T20

Virat Kohli is easily the most prized scalp for any opposition that is playing against India. Kohli, who wears his heart on his sleeve, is ice-cool when it comes to high-pressure situations and tense run chases.

The 20-overs format is supposed to be one that forces batsmen to play low-percentage cricket and makes it extremely difficult for them to achieve any sort of consistency in run-scoring. Virat Kohli, though, has turned that theory on its head.

The current Indian captain has the best average in T20Is - he averages a staggering 53.65 in the shortest format with the next best being 39.10 (Joe Root). He also holds the record for most 50+ scores or even most 50s in the shortest format. He is also 3rd on the highest runs in T20Is (1878 runs).

And it’s not that Kohli plays slam-bang cricket. He plays relatively risk-free cricket without compromising on the ability to score runs quickly. Along with a mind-boggling average of almost 54, he also has a career strike-rate of close to 140.

So, as the current No. 1 batsman in both ODIs and T20Is celebrates his 29th birthday on 5th November (Sunday), let’s look at 5 of his best knocks in T20 Internationals.


#5 89* vs West Indies – Mumbai, World T20 (2016)

With the T20 World Cup being staged in India for the first time and India in very good form (winning 10 out of the 11 T20 games prior to the mega event), the expectation and pressure was big. After losing the first game against New Zealand, India won 3 consecutive games to enter the semi-final and set up a clash with the star-studded West Indies.

Kohli was in sublime form with scores of 23, 55*, 24 and 82* in the mega event. After being put into bat on a belter at Wankhede, India started off positively as they were 62/1 in the 8th over when Kohli walked out to bat. He was lucky to survive off his second ball as West Indies missed 3 chances on the same ball (all run-out). But that was the only jittery moment for Kohli as he batted beautifully to score a 47-ball 89.

At one stage India were 128/2 in the 16th over and it looked like they would end up with an under-par total on a batting beauty. But Kohli produced an absolute masterclass as he tore apart the Windies’ bowling attack.

He ran hard between the wickets (converted 1s into 2s and 2s into 3s from almost impossible positions), consistently found the boundary and kept increasing the scoring-rate as India reached the fag end of their innings. He found an able ally in skipper MS Dhoni. India finished with 192 at the end of 20 overs.

However, Kohli’s effort went in vain as West Indies scampered home with 2 deliveries to spare. India rued the fact that they took wickets off no balls and it cost them dearly. Kohli batted like a superman in that World T20 finishing as the highest run-getter (273 runs), but unfortunately India couldn’t make the finals.

#4 90* vs Australia – Adelaide (2016)

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Kohli batted brilliantly in the 3-match T20 series in Australia In 2016, when India toured Australia for a 5-match ODI series which was to be followed by 3 T20Is, India had a chance to win every ODI, but they couldn’t capitalize on key moments and they surrendered the one-day series 4-1.

Virat Kohli scored 381 runs in 5 ODIs after the 4th ODI (where India were 4-0 down), believed that there are 4 more games to go on the tour and India could make it 4-4 (overall). This pumped his team up as India won the remaining games which included a whitewash in the T20 series.

After being put into bat by Australia, India were reduced to 41/2 in 5 overs. Virat Kohli was batting on 1 when the 2nd wicket fell and by the time India ended their innings Kohli took the ‘Men in Blue’ to an above par total of 188. Kohli finished with an unbeaten 90 off 55 balls (his highest T20I score).

The way he paced his innings was simply superb. Manoeuvring the ball in the gaps and running hard between the wickets at the start of his innings and then finding the boundaries once he was set. His 90 set up India’s 37-run win at the Adelaide Oval (a ground which he loves – he averages almost 90 across formats at Adelaide).

#3 72* vs South Africa – Dhaka, World T20 (2014)

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Kohli's unbeaten 72 helped India knock South Africa out of the 2014 World T20.

In the 2014 T20 World Cup, India were in superb form – winning all four league games to reach the semi-final. They were up against South Africa who were desperate to break the semi-final hoodoo.

On the back of Faf du Plessis’ fifty and vital contributions from Duminy and Miller, the Proteas scored 172 after opting to bat first. Chasing a stiff target, India started well with a couple of decent stands. Virat Kohli who was in very good form came out to bat in 4th over, soaked the pressure, changed the course of the game and took India home in the last over of the game.

Like most of his innings, he scored at an excellent rate even when he didn’t score too many boundaries (his strike-rate - 163.63). He scored just 5 fours and 2 sixes in a 44-ball innings where he scored an unbeaten 72.

The way he paced the chase was remarkable. He almost single-handedly took the ‘Men in Blue’ to the finals. He ended the 2014 World T20 as the highest run-getter with 319 runs at a staggering average of 106.33.

But his efforts went in vain as India lost to Sri Lanka in the final. But that didn’t stop him from winning the Player of the Series award in that competition.

#2 55* vs Pakistan – Kolkata, World T20 (2016)

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In 3 weeks, Kohli produced 2 magical knocks against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Virat Kohli was in terrific form in the lead up to the 2016 T20 World Cup. He had scored 353 runs in 7 innings at a stunning average of 136.

India after the loss in the first game to New Zealand were keen to bounce back against arch-rivals Pakistan (who they were playing for the second time in about 3 weeks). Also, India had never lost a World Cup game to Pakistan (in both 50-over and T20 WC).

In a reduced game, Pakistan posted 118 in 18 overs on a difficult Eden Gardens pitch. 118 seemed a challenging total. India were in deep trouble in the 5th over as they were reduced to 23/3. Kohli, who had produced a magical 49 in the Asia Cup game against Pakistan after India were 8/3, was at it again as he stroked a sublime 55 off 37 balls to take India home with 13 balls to spare.

He absorbed pressure brilliantly and controlled the run chase beautifully. A strike-rate of close to 149 looked unbelievable given the situation, the pitch and the pressure. Every knock against arch-rivals counts for much more but this will go down as one of the best T20I innings of all time under pressure.

#1 82* vs Australia – Mohali, World T20 (2016)

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Kohli paced the run chase magnificently to help India win a crunch game.

It was a must-win clash for both India and Australia as the winner would go through to the semi-finals. Batting first, Australia posted 160 at the end of their 20 overs. And 160 looked just above par on a wicket that was expected to slow down as the game progressed.

Once again India were rocked early. They looked in deep trouble at 49/3 in the 8th over. Kohli who had walked at 3 was batting on 13.

To make matters worse, Yuvraj injured his ankle on the second ball he faced. India moved along at a sluggish rate as Yuvraj could neither run well between the wickets (one aspect Kohli loves) nor could he find the boundary.

Kohli at the other end kept taking calculated risks and didn’t allow the asking rate to go out of control. When Yuvraj got out for a sluggish 21 on the final delivery of the 14th over, India still needed 66 off the last 6 overs. Kohli was batting on 35 (off 30 balls) and he was joined by skipper MS Dhoni.

But the last six overs were magical from Kohli. In a crunch situation, Kohli came good again, playing a great innings to drive India to the semis. He blasted a sublime 51-ball 82 as he scored 47 runs off his last 20 deliveries. And this innings came at a strike-rate of 161, with 9 fours and 2 sixes, mostly classy, conventional cricketing shots.

This was arguably one of the greatest T20I innings chases, not just of Kohli's career. Kohli batted like a one-man army in a do or die situation and took India to the semi-final of the mega event.

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Edited by Anuradha Santhanam