Virat Kohli: This is my best T20I innings – it seemed impossible

Kohli carried India's batting to finish unbeaten on 82 in a remarkable game of T20 cricket

Nick Friend | 23/10/2022 at 13:42

Virat Kohli called his heroics at the MCG as India beat Pakistan his best T20 innings, admitting that victory had "seemed impossible" before a remarkable late burst from the former India captain.

Ravichandran Ashwin hit the winning run off the final delivery of the match, bringing to an end one of the most extraordinary T20 matches of all time.

The pendulum swung repeatedly – from Pakistan losing both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan early in the powerplay to India's early batting collapse to 31 for 4 – but Pakistan appeared to be strong favourites entering the last three overs of the match, with India requiring 48 runs in 18 deliveries and Pakistan's fate in the hands of their feted bowling attack.

The game swung, though, on successive sixes from Kohli to close out the 19th over from Haris Rauf – the first, an unfathomable punch off the back foot over long-on; the second, a pick-up over backward square leg.

"The one at long-on was unexpected, it was a back-of-a-length slower ball," said Kohli in the post-match presentation, speaking with total clarity despite the breathlessness of the occasion. "The fine leg one, I just threw my bat at it."

Those 12 runs set up a manic finish, featuring a free hit that brought three byes via a deflection off the stumps, Rizwan standing back to Mohammad Nawaz's makeshift left-arm seam and ultimately a last-ball finish.

There have been times in the last year when Kohli's place in India's T20 side has been questioned, with amid of his strike rate and the plethora of options elsewhere. But he now averages 73.4 in T20I run-chases, and this – 82 off 53 balls – was his 20th half century in 45 innings batting second.

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^{Kohli finished unbeaten on 82 for India (William West/AFP via Getty Images)}

"Until today I said Mohali [vs Australia] was my best T20 innings," he said. "Then I got [82] off [51], today I got [82] off 53. Both are just as special. But with the situation we were in I pick this one as my best. It seemed impossible.

"All these months when I was struggling, you guys [the crowd] kept me going. Thank you so much."

He added: "Well, it's a surreal atmosphere. I honestly have no words. I have no idea how that happened. Hardik kept telling me, just believe we can stay until the end. I'm lost for words."

Kohli lost strike for the final two balls of the match and had to watch as Dinesh Karthik was stumped to leave Ashwin needing two runs off the last delivery, which became just a single needed after a wide from Nawaz. With the scores level, Ashwin drove the left-arm spinner over mid-off to complete the win, with Kohli initially on his haunches before joining the celebrations and taking the embraces of his jubilant teammates.

"Hats off to Virat," added Rohit Sharma, his replacement as India's T20I captain. "It has to go down as not one of his best, but the best innings he has played for India."