“One for the ages” Vintage Kohli and dashing Pandya smoke out Pakistan on Diwali Eve at MCG in the T20 World Cup opener
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Virat Kohli
Drama, excitement, pulse racing, and then a win. Team India rode to victory on the broad shoulders of Virat Kohli’s effulgent 82 and Hardik Pandya’s effervescent 40 against Pakistan at the MCG on Sunday. The four-wicket win in the lung opener of the T20 World Cup against Pakistan was against all odds. From a state of looking helpless and hopeless, India bounced back thanks to these two men who made up for the gaffes in the top order. That skipper Rohit Sharma, deputy KL Rahul and Surya Kumar Yadav flopped is stating the obvious.
The drama that was played out in last overcooked Pakistan’s goose where the villain was bowler Nawaz. He was just not in control of the situation where it demanded a cool head to bowl the last six deliveries. Eventually, it was more than six deliveries! Tension was palpable as Kohli was in one of the most punitive moods on Sunday. After Haris Rauf had bowled his heart out, Nawaz was the villain for Pakistan. He messed up big time, including a no-ball, which cost Pakistan badly.
At one stage, India did mess up when they allowed Pakistan to score 99 runs in the last ten overs as they aggregated 159. India need 160 to win, and it looked bleak once early wickets fell. That was till the time Kohli and Pandya got together. This was a rare combination in the middle. Kohli, at 33, looks fit like a spring. And Pandya, 29, has found out again that he can bat, bowl and field in the T20 format. Just like he did in the IPL this summer where he led Gujarat Titan to the title.
Pandya had delivered with the ball. Yet, when it came to hanging out in the middle with Kohli and soaking in the pressure like a sponge, the two did it with great felicity. More than strokes, what was needed was the heart for a fight and the guts to chase. Playing Pakistan is all about passion, showing the right frame of mind, and not getting intimidated.
Both Kohli and Pandya changed the complexion of the match with hitting which was efficient, and aggressive yet not ugly. What took the cake was when Kohli decided he was going to step on the gas. He had energy, he had the strokes and he was sighting the ball well. He was in the mood to launch a counter-punch against the Pakis, who behaved like bullies in the ring.
When needed, the King steps up
Aggression had to be matched with aggression. That’s what Kohli did. In no time, he was smacking sixes with relish and hunger. The Pak bowling was looking jaded and the fielding was also falling apart. The icing on the cake was how Kohli and Pandya rotated strike. showed understanding. Yet, it was Kohli’s explosive sixes that came at the right time.
If his century against Afghanistan was riled and ridiculed at the Asia Cup, today Kohli showed that he had attained a state of nirvana. He believes in himself. The crackers burst in all parts of India after R.Ashwin cleared the infield to score the winning runs were awesome. This was the best Diwali eve one could have dreamt of.
To be sure, there were many villains for India, had the team lost. One man who was shamed last year, needlessly, and then stripped of the captaincy, Virat Kohli has been hurt. His hunger is intact, his health is top class and his fitness awesome. He has chiseled out his body like a sculptor. And that is what helped him hammer the daylights out of Pakistan.
Kohli is a bit like a bulldog, full of aggro. Well, when you play Pak, you need that kind of approach. Not the meek kind of Rohit Sharma, a super flop, or KL Rahul. Tonight in Melbourne, Indians are getting drunk. Virat Kohli has shown that India are a side with at least one winner. Is he hurt? Yes, he is. Is he taking revenge? Yes, he is.
Well, if revenge can fetch India wins in the World Cup, let’s pray Kohli and Pandya, who is coming back with so many doubts on fitness persisting, keep hammering runs. They dreamt, they delivered. And this is just the beginning. We can leave laggards behind. Let’s celebrate Diwali big time thanks to VK and Pandya.
Also Read: “Payback?” Team India has to fire against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)