Virat Kohli, India’s batting superstar, is in fine form in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022. The right-handed batter has played two matches, and in both of them he scored an unbeaten fifty to top-score for the side and help the Men in Blue keep the opposition at bay. He started the campaign by playing probably his career’s best innings of 82 not out from 53 balls against Pakistan in Melbourne on Sunday (October 23), and then in the second game he made 62 not out from 44 balls. With 144 runs to his name, he is India’s leading run getter in the ongoing tournament and is also on the verge of becoming the leading run getter in the history of T20 World Cup matches. He needs 28 runs more to leapfrog former Sri Lankan captain and legend Mahlea Jayawardene and reach the summit.
Virat was struggling with form in the first half of 2022 and had a forgetful IPL 2022 campaign as well, but he found his mojo back in the Asia Cup T20 tournament last month in the United Arab Emirates, where in the team’s final Super 4 match he scored his maiden T20I century as well against Afghanistan. In that game, which was played at Dubai International Stadium on September 8, Virat remained unbeaten on 122 runs from 61 balls, to become the highest individual scorer for India in T20Is.
Virat maintained his Asia Cup form in bilateral series against Australia and South Africa, and he is now batting at an entirely different level in the T20 World Cup. And impressed by his heroics in Australia, BCCI president Roger Binny has reserved high praise for him.
Speaking at his felicitation ceremony at the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Friday, the newly appointed BCCI president congratulated Kohli for playing a majestic knock against Pakistan. “It was like a dream for me. Couldn’t realise the way the ball was being hit in the park by Kohli. It was a fantastic victory. You never see such matches where most of the time the match was in Pakistan’s favour and all of a sudden it came back to India. Good for the game as it’s what the crowd wants to see,” BCCI president Binny was quoted as saying by ANI.
“Kohli didn’t have to prove himself. He is a class player and players like him thrive in pressure situations. Pressure brings out the best of them,” added Binny in his praise for Kohli, who won the Player of the Match award against Pakistan.
Virat will next be seen in action on Sunday (October 30) in Perth, when in their third Group 2 match of the Super 12 stage, India will take on South Africa.
