New Delhi: Former India cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has lauded Virat Kohli for his phenomenal performance against Pakistan in a thrilling Super 12 match of Men’s T20 World Cup at iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground and feels it was one of the best knocks of star cricketer’s career.
The 33-year-old Kohli produced a masterclass of batting, slamming an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls to power India to an incredible four-wicket win over Pakistan in their campaigner opener of the mega sporting spectacle on Sunday.
“It was a phenomenal knock by Virat… one of the best that he has ever played for India. The opening match of a World Cup and that too against Pakistan is never easy and to play that knock in front of a huge crowd was special,” Vengsarkar told IANS in a telephonic interview.
Asked what India could have done better in that game, the 66-year-old mentioned that it was a close game, so he can’t pinpoint much.
“It was a close game. India did very well to restrict Pakistan to around 160 and during the run chase the partnership between Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli was very crucial since the Pakistan team has a very good bowling lineup.”
The whole cricket fraternity is still in awe of Virat’s match-winning knock against Pakistan and the video of former India skipper’s six against Haris Rauf in the 19th over has become a hit on social media.
Notably, Virat had also said that his innings at the iconic MCG was his best T20I knock.
“Till today I have always said Mohali was my best innings, against Australia: I got 82 off 52 (51). Today I got 82 off 53. So they are exactly the same innings, but I think today I will count this one higher because of the magnitude of the game and what the situation was,” he said at the post-match presentation.
After a thrilling win against Pakistan, the Rohit Sharma led will now face The Netherlands in their next game on Thursday in Sydney.
–IANS