Virat Kohli has been one of the top performers when it comes to the T20 World Cup. Virat won two consecutive Man of the Tournament awards in 2014 and 2016 along with numerous Man of the Match awards. His accolades are enough to justify his position as the best performer in the mega event.
Now, the Indian skipper has achieved another accolade as his masterful unbeaten 82 against Australia in the T20 World Cup in 2016 at Mohali has been crowned as the ‘Greatest Moments’ in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history following a poll.
Virat Kohli’s innings was up against Carlos Baithwaite’s innings, where he scored 24 runs in the final over against England, thereby leading West Indies to the 2016 T20 World Cup trophy. Virat Kohli won the contest by 68 per cent of the votes.
When Virat single handedly took India home
In 2016, Virat Kohli was having the time of his life. He was the top run scorer in international cricket that year and also almost scored 1,000 runs in an IPL season. But one of his standout performances came in the group stage encounter against Australia in the T20 World Cup in 2016.
India had to win the encounter against the Aussies to qualify for the Semi finals. Australia had set a target of 161. But India lost both their openers inside the powerplay and could only score 37 in the first six. But as Naseer Hussain said “The bigger the occasion, the more Kohli wants to contribute,” and Kohli did exactly that.
Virat Kohli dominated the Australian bowlers as he reached his fifty in 39 deliveries, with India then requiring 45 runs in 21 balls. Kohli shifted gears as he hit James Faulkner for 19 runs, taking the required run-rate down to 10. Australian bowlers had no answer to Kohli as he toyed them all over the park.
In the 19th over, Kohli blazed four boundaries off Nathan Coulter-Nile’s bowling. With 4 required off the final over, Dhoni struck Faulkner for a four to seal India’s spot in the semi-finals. Kohli calculated the chase to perfection with style and grace, giving India a win by six wickets and five balls to spare.
Highlights:
• Virat Kohli’s 82* vs Australia In 2016 has been crowned as the ‘Greatest Moments’ in T20 World Cup history
• Virat’s knock took India to the Semifinals
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