India vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup 2022: Virat Kohli, a blessing for cricket, captain and coach

“King is back,” a friend wrote on WhatsApp after the fifth ball of the 19^th over of the Indian innings, which went for a soaring six.

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Well, the king never left. In a scenario where it was on the verge of impossible, only one man – possibly in the world – who could have brought India to this juncture. Virat Kohli. There never will be another.

India should be eternally grateful, and this Indian team at the ICC T20 World Cup should stand in line and applaud the former captain, not least the current skipper. No one could ever have done this barring this legend of the game.

The KING is back

Take a bow, Virat Kohli #T20WorldCup | #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/OdAnbmso0h

— ICC (@ICC) October 23, 2022

When India’s much vaunted opening stand once more crashed in front of the venomous Pakistan fast bowling, followed by reverses, some painful, some mystifying, it was looking like another relinquishing of a match to Pakistan. India were never in the game at that stage.

Kohli had to come in, see the carnage, then steady the ship as Suryakumar Yadav and then Axar Patel, up the order for reasons best known to the management, went.

It looked all bleak. Surely this was the end, or the beginning of one. India had always found it difficult to counter the sheer speed of Pakistan’s battery and with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma once again floundering against fiery pace of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, it was almost Mission Impossible all over for India.

Cometh the hour, cometh the stage, cometh the man @imVkohli @ICC @T20WorldCup #INDvPAK #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/zdwgFUTQoI

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) October 23, 2022

Moreover, Suryakumar Yadav too went early, to that same pace. Yadav tends to attack from the beginning, but maybe there is some scope for a little patience at times. Especially with such an attack.

Nevertheless, he went, and so did Axar Patel. Why Patel was batting at five is a mystery. Could it be that the Indians wanted him to take on the spin of Shadab Khan? That would be a losing proposition nine times out of 10.

But Patel didn’t stay long enough for it to be an issue. Hardik Pandya, kept back to possibly to steady the boat in the later overs, or to score quickly, was in soon.

Kohli found a partner in what would be critical on the big Melbourne Cricket Ground – running between the wickets. Though Pandya, or anyone else for that matter, is not half as fleet of foot as Kohli, at least he has a very good estimate of runs and the duo did indeed make it count.

It was daunting for most part of the Indian innings, but Kohli never let it go. He kept his end up, and coaxed and cajoled Pandya as they ran like crazy. Nawaz was hammered by both and Babar Azam had to per force redeploy his fast bowlers way before he wanted to.

But all of that didn’t really get him any results. From 31/4, India went to 144 before Pandya left of the first ball of the last over.

But Kohli had already brought it to somewhere where it could be handled. Two massive sixes off Rauf off the last two deliveries of the 19^th over had left India to get 16 from six deliveries.

Even after Pandya left and Dinesh Karthik got a single, Kohli kept plugging away. Nawaz then sent down a disastrous no-ball which Kohli carted for a six and then the next ball saw his stumps clattered, but it was a free-hit!

Since then, it was destined. Even though Kohli lost strike with the last few deliveries and Karthik departed, Ravichandran Ashwin kept his wits and eventually, India were through, with nothing to spare.

On the eve of #Deepavali today, the win of #India is a gift to the nation where every house is illuminated with the #Diya of Victory! Cracking performance @imVkohli !! #TeamIndia World Cup campaign begins with a brilliant win!!

#IndiaVsPak2022 pic.twitter.com/s7DQrXbmBW

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) October 23, 2022

How Kohli kept his nerve, poise, stamina and thoughts together is a study in how to create something out of nothing against the odds. He never let go, never thought that the match was done and dusted and eventually, this faith, combined with the sheer skill of the man was decisive.

The Pakistan pace attack was cleaned up by Kohli, which has an important footnote. Pandya, for all his abilities, is a little dodgy against genuine fast bowling. Here too, he was struggling, so it was left to Kohli to deal with the fasts as much as he dealt with the spin.

This knock of 82 not off 53 balls, with six fours and four sixes and a strike rate of 154.7 is possibly the best we have seen, even from a batter of his calibre.

From here, wherever we may go in this tournament, or beyond, this innings will be a landmark of Indian cricket and world cricket. It never will get much better, not under such pressure and on such a massive stage. Only one man could have done this, and he did.

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