In the T20 World Cup final, Virat Kohli, as highlighted by captain Rohit Sharma, saved his best for last. Facing South Africa, Kohli stepped up when the top-order crumbled, hitting his first fifty of the tournament. Reaching his half-century in 48 balls at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, Kohli’s steady presence helped India post a competitive total by holding one end and preventing South Africa from gaining complete control.
Despite managing only 75 runs in the first seven matches of the T20 World Cup, Kohli’s place in the side was questioned. However, the team management, including Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid, backed his experience to deliver at this crucial stage.
In the final, Kohli adopted a more classical approach, contrasting with his aggressive style seen in earlier matches. His innings began with three boundaries in the first over – a cover drive, a straight drive, and a flick to deep fine-leg. Kohli’s adaptability shone through, especially after being criticized for playing out of his natural style in the semi-final against England, where he fell attempting an ambitious shot off Reece Topley.
Kohli equaled Babar Azam’s record for the most fifty-plus scores in men’s T20I cricket, achieving his 39th in 126 matches. He accelerated after reaching his fifty, finishing with 76 off 59 balls, scoring his last 26 runs in just 11 balls, after going 37 balls without a boundary.
India posted a total of 176 for 7 in their 20 overs, bolstered by a late cameo from Shivam Dube and a significant contribution from Axar Patel, who shifted the momentum with a brave 47 off 31 deliveries.