NEW DELHI: A solid 59-ball 76 from star batter
Virat Kohli
took India to a competitive 176 for 7 in the high-pressure T20 World Cup final in Barbados last week.
After India opted to bat, Proteas bowlers fired in unison early as
Rohit Sharma
and Co. were three down inside the powerplay itself. However, Kohli stood solid as a rock at the other end and played the anchor role to perfection.
He first arrested India's slide with a 72-run stand with Axar Patel and then took India forward in the second half alongside Shivam Dube and others, taking India to a solid total.
But former cricketer-turned-commentator
Sanjay Manjrekar
feels that Kohli's knock was too slow and could have put India in a tight corner.
Reigniting the Kohli strike-rate debate that haunted the opener during the IPL, Manjrekar said Kohli's conservative approach didn't allow the likes of Hardik Pandya too much time in the middle.
"By playing that innings, Hardik Pandya, one of their most devastating batters, had just two balls to face. So I thought India's batting was good, but Virat Kohli had potentially played an innings that would've put India in a tight corner. And it almost proved to be that, before these guys' bowlers came in the end," Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.
With 30 needed off 30 balls and six wickets in hand, Proteas batters choked in the chase as India bowlers pulled off a miracle turnaround.
Manjrekar said that the bowlers came to Kohli's rescue, otherwise there would have been questions on Kohli's intent in the finale.
"India were in a losing position, 90 percent winning chances (for South Africa). The complete turnaround actually saved Virat Kohli's innings because he played virtually half the innings with a strike-rate of 128. My Player of the Match would've been a bowler because they actually took the game from the jaws of defeat and won it for India," he added.
As Rohit and Co. won the thrilling finale by 7 runs, India ended an over-a-decade long ICC title drought.
The 2024 T20 World Cup title is now India's second in the format. In the inaugural 2007 edition, India won the title under the leadership of legendary MS Dhoni.
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