Virat Kohli’s Masterful Performance Sparks India’s TriumphVirat Kohli’s Masterful Performance Sparks India’s Triumph Following India’s spectacular victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final, captain Rohit Sharma lauded the exceptional performance of Virat Kohli, who played a pivotal role in the team’s success. Kohli, despite struggling throughout the tournament, demonstrated his true caliber with a crucial 76 off 59 balls in the final. His innings played a significant role in India’s competitive total of 176/7. Rohit acknowledged that the team needed a player who could anchor the innings, and Kohli executed this perfectly. “When the opportunity comes, the big players will step up,” Rohit said. “Virat held that one side and that was very good. For us and the others playing around him, it was a team effort to achieve that total.” Kohli’s experience proved invaluable, as he ensured India had a solid platform to build upon. Rohit also praised all-rounder Axar Patel for his contribution of 47 runs, forming a crucial partnership with Kohli. India’s victory was not without its challenges, as South Africa looked set for victory with 30 needed from 30 balls. However, spectacular catches, thrilling bowling, and crucial wickets sealed the victory for India. Rohit hailed Jasprit Bumrah’s masterful performance in the final overs. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on with his hand. But whatever he wants to do, he executes it perfectly, which is a very rare sight. Jasprit Bumrah, to put it in one word, he is a class apart.” Rohit also praised Hardik Pandya for his brilliant final over, which included the crucial wicket of David Miller. “Hardik was also brilliant, he bowled that last over. I am very proud of the boys for bowling that last over.” This victory marks India’s third ICC final in the past twelve months and ends their 11-year drought of a major title. It is their fourth World Cup title overall, adding to their previous triumphs in 1983, 2007, and 2011. Rohit reflected on the team’s journey and the importance of sticking together in the face of adversity. “We work very hard as a team, a lot has happened behind the scenes. That’s what we’ve been doing for the last three to four years. We played many games under high pressure and also came up on the wrong side. But the boys understand what needs to happen when your back is against the wall. We stuck together and the boys all wanted to win so badly.”
Bridgetown (Barbados), June 30 After India recorded one of their biggest victories to lift the T20 World Cup trophy by beating South Africa by seven runs in the final, captain Rohit Sharma praised talented batsman Virat Kohli for his masterful work and for giving his best when it mattered most.
Kohli, who had struggled throughout the tournament with just 75 runs in seven matches, ended his poor run with a crucial 76 off 59 balls, helping India reach a competitive total of 176/7.
Reflecting on Kohli’s impressive innings in the final, Rohit noted that the team needed someone who would bat for as long as possible and Virat executed that perfectly.
“I didn’t and nobody doubted Virat’s form. We know the quality he has, he’s been at the top of his game for 15 years. When the opportunity comes, the big players will step up. Virat held that one side and that was very good. For us and the others playing around him, it was a team effort to achieve that total.
“We wanted someone to bat for as long as possible. These are not wickets where you can come and bat freely and get the scoreboard ticking straight away, so we understand that. We wanted someone to bat for as long as possible and Virat did that perfectly. That’s where Virat’s experience comes to the fore,” Rohit said in a post-match interview.
Besides Virat, all-rounder Axar Patel again proved his mettle and played 47 runs, forming a 72-run partnership with Kohli for the fourth wicket.
“The other boys played very well, Axar’s knock of 47 was also very crucial,” Rohit added.
Chasing 177, South Africa looked set for victory with 30 needed from 30 balls. It was Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch at the boundary rope, Jasprit Bumrah’s two thrilling final overs and Hardik Pandya’s two crucial wickets in the 20th over that helped India secure a memorable victory, ending a drought of over a decade.
Speaking about Bumrah’s masterclass, the skipper said: “I can understand why you guys are trying to put it into words, but I am someone who has been watching him for so many years, even playing with him, but even I don’t know exactly what’s going on with him hand. I know exactly what he has to offer, but how he does it is simply a masterclass.”
“He stands behind his skills, which is more than enough, and he is a very confident guy. Whatever he wants to do, he executes it perfectly, which is a very rare sight. Jasprit Bumrah, to put it in one word, he is a class apart,” said the Indian captain who was playing his seventh T20 World Cup.
Hardik produced a brilliant final over to claim the crucial wicket of the dangerous David Miller. As Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada tried to keep the pressure on, the fast-bowling all-rounder dismissed Rabada to put the final nail in the coffin.
“Hardik was also brilliant, he bowled that last over, however many runs it took, I am very proud of the boys for bowling that last over,” Rohit further said.
This was India’s third ICC final in the past twelve months, with the Men in Blue finally ending their 11-year drought of a major title by winning the Men’s T20 World Cup, a feat they last achieved in the inaugural edition in 2007.
In the process, India overcame the final hurdle that had eluded them in the ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad last November.
This is India’s fourth World Cup title overall – from Kapil Dev’s team in 1983 to Dhoni’s Young Guns in 2007, T20 WC and ODI champions in 2011. Now Rohit’s boys have added a new chapter to the yearbooks of Indian cricket history .
Reflecting on the final victory, Rohit said, “It is very difficult to summarize what we have been through in the last three-four years. We work very hard as a team, a lot has happened behind the scenes. That’s what we’ve been doing for the last three to four years. We played many games under high pressure and also came up on the wrong side.”
“But the boys understand what needs to happen when your back is against the wall. We stuck together and the boys all wanted to win so badly. I’m very proud of these boys for giving us the freedom to play the way we want to play and execute. And the credit must also go to the management,” he concluded.
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