After an impressive ODI series against the West Indies playing at number three, Virat Kohli is back with opening the batting in the One-off T20 International against the Caribbean. During his knock, he exhibited some brilliant batting by taking the Caribbean bowlers by the scruff of the neck right from the word go.
He notched up 39 runs from just 22 balls to set India off to a stunning start, taking full advantage of the power-play. During his short cameo, he hardly wasted any ball as he piled on seven boundaries and an unreal six over long on.
Attack from the very first-ball
Kohli made his intentions clear when he guided Samuel Badree’s delivery down to fine-leg for a boundary. In the second over, he carted Jerome Taylor away for a couple of more boundaries. On both occasions, Taylor drifted the ball down the leg-side and the Indian captain punished him with sheer disdain.
Badree kept him quiet in the next over, giving absolutely nothing away. Pressure showed on Kohli as he went for a release shot thereafter. Kohli went for a pull-shot off Kesrick Williams from outside the off-stump, which tantalisingly evaded the mid-off fielder to race off to the boundary.
However, in the next instance, Kohli found the middle of the bat as he pulled Williams off to mid-wicket pretty effortlessly. In the fifth from Carlos Brathwaite, Kohli presented his class as he lofted the fast-bowler towards extra cover for a boundary.
Kesrick Williams’ unique send off
The next over was pretty eventful from Kohli’s point of view. Kohli had made up his mind of taking Kesrick Williams to the cleaners. In the first ball of the sixth over, Kohli manufactured an audacious stroke as he whipped Williams over the long-on region for a colossal six.
Quite expectantly, Williams lost his line and dished out a short and wide delivery only to be pounced on by Virat Kohli for yet another boundary. However, in the third ball, Kohli played one shot too many as he perished to a mis-timed pull shot, lobbing a dolly of a catch to Sunil Narine.
Williams and West Indies were cock-a-hoop as they were finally able to see the back of Virat Kohli. After the dismissal, Williams came up with a rather innovative mode of celebration. He made a gesture to his hand as is if he rubbed off Kohli’s name of it and then pocketed him.
Kohli currently holds the record for the highest average for batsman in T20s with a minimum of 500 runs. He has previously opened for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League and also for the Indian team.
With a wide range of strokes in his repertoire, Kohli is a perfect choice for opening the batting in the T20 format and today he has again displayed why he is considered as one of the best players in the world.
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