The ‘Little Master’ has spoken: Virat Kohli’s best innings was his unbeaten 82, as India somehow won the “impossible”.
He won’t find many arguments, with the entire cricketing world left in awe from Kohli’s brilliance.
From an ugly position of 4-31, India somehow clawed their way back, stayed in the fight and somehow won off the final ball of the match as Ravi Ashwin cooly played inside-out over mid-off to hit the match-winning runs off Mohammad Nawaz.
Ashwin threw his arms into the sky while Kohli followed suit before slamming the MCG centre wicket with his fist as tears rolled down his cheeks.
It was something not even Harsha Bhogle had witnessed before as Kohli later said it was his greatest T20 innings in an interview with Ravi Shastri.
The late escape capped off an incredible final over, as Nawaz cracked under the pressure after Kohli hit consecutive sixes off Haris Rauf’s final two deliveries of his final over.
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Until then, the right-arm quick had been brilliant as he hurried the Indian batters and took two top order wickets.
But Nawaz’s final over, which included a no-ball full toss that was hit for six, as well as his wide down the leg side that meant Ashwin only needed one run from the final ball was as dramatic as they come.
Dale Steyn described the game as “ridiculous” and that was an understatement.
A number of former greats including Michael Vaughan and Mark Waugh said the match was o the best in T20 history.
Former Indian star Yuvraj Singh also signalled out Ashwin for special praise, pointing out his cool head as he brought up the winning runs with a lovely shot over mid-off where he relied on timing over brute force.
Ashwin had earlier been in yet another controversial moment, as he claimed a catch down at fine-leg that was overturned by the third umpire.
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