T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli takes India to incredible victory over Pakistan

A Virat Kohli-inspired India beat rivals Pakistan in an extraordinary finish to a Men’s T20 World Cup classic at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

They were struggling at various stages, none more so than when needing 13 from the final three balls before Pakistan wilted.

Kohli, a master of nights such as these, clubbed a full toss from spinner Mohammad Nawaz for six, a delivery that was then deemed a no-ball.

Nawaz followed that with a wide and from the next Kohli was bowled but, with the delivery still a free hit, India were able to scamper three via a deflection off the stumps.

The game swung again when Dinesh Karthik was then stumped only for Nawaz to bowl another wide to new batter Ravichandran Ashwin, this time down the leg side.

That left Ashwin needing to take one from the final delivery and he lifted the ball over mid-off to spark wild celebrations in the stands.

Kohli dropped to his knees in the middle while Ashwin sprinted towards his onrushing team-mates.

A night for the ages

As the final delivery cleared the Pakistan fielders off Ashwin’s bat, a deafening roar engulfed the iconic MCG.

This match, one of the great sporting occasions between two rivals, was sold out within five minutes. Those lucky enough to in the stands witnessed a contest that will go down as one of the greatest T20s ever.

India were floundering at 45-4 after 10 overs, the top order swept aside by Pakistan’s searing pace attack, but Kohli was nerveless when all else suggested he should be anything but.

A stand of 113 from 78 balls with Hardik Pandya, who made 40 from 37, brought India back into the game.

Even before the final over the momentum swung back and forth. India were charging before the 15th over from Haris Rauf and the 16th from Naseem Shah went for six runs apiece. Yet Kohli then elegantly took 17 from the 18th bowled by Shaheen Afridi.

Hardik fell to the first ball of the last over at which point the decision to bowl Nawaz looked a masterstroke from Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam.

But ultimately he faltered badly, allowing India home in the most unlikely style.

Arshdeep’s burst and Pakistan’s recovery

By the end Pakistan’s batting innings seemed a distant memory.

It had begun in electric fashion as India left-armer Arshdeep Singh removed Babar lbw for a golden duck with his first ball, and in his next over had fellow Pakistan talisman Mohammad Rizwan caught at fine leg for four.

Pakistan did not lay bat on any of the first 10 balls, so devilish was the opening burst from Arshdeep and Bhuvneshwar Kumar on a pitch tinged with green.

They recovered impressively to a competitive score, at least meaning they are able to take positives from this crushing defeat.

Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed took their time to rebuild before the latter countered, hitting four straight sixes off spinners Ashwin and Axar Patel.

After he fell lbw to Mohammed Shami, Masood continued in relatively measured fashion amid a collapse of 5-29, the excellent India all-rounder Hardik taking three wickets by attacking the body of Shadab Khan, Haider Ali and Nawaz.

At 120-7 Pakistan’s innings could have fallen in a heap but instead there was a surprise contribution from Shaheen who struck 16 from eight balls, including a flat six over mid-wicket off Arshdeep.

It was a batting performance that showed Pakistan can win games against the best sides when Babar and Rizwan fail, something many doubted before the tournament.

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