Diwali arrived a day early for India, courtesy to Virat Kohli, who delivered one of his finest innings to lead India to a stunning win against arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening game of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Virat Kohli's innings extended his unblemished record against the Men in Green in white ball cricket. Virat Kohli has 539 runs in ODIs at an average of almost 49, with two hundreds and two fifties. In T20Is, though, Kohli's record is even more dangerous, as he has scored 488 runs in 10 games at an amazing average of 83.
With such an impeccable record, these are the best three innings played by Virat Kohli against Pakistan throughout his career.
78 at Colombo (T20 World Cup 2012)
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The Men in Green batted first in their group game against India in the 2012 T20 World Cup in Colombo, and were held to a modest 129 by the Indan bowlers headed by Lakshmipathy Balaji. However, India got off to a sluggish start in the chase, losing Gautam Gambhir on the first delivery of the innings.
A young Virat Kohli then batted with Virender Sehwag to calm the ship for India. He then batted brilliantly as India chased down the easy mark in 17.1 overs. Kohli hit 78 from 61 balls, including eight fours and two sixes.
183 at Mirpur (Asia Cup 2012)
India got off to the worst possible start in the Asia Cup 2012 group game, losing Gautam Gambhir on the first delivery of the innings while chasing a massive score of 330. Virat Kohli then moved on to bat with Sachin Tendulkar. The two then went up a 133-run stand for the second wicket. After Tendulkar was out for 52 runs off 48 balls, Kohli was joined by Rohit Sharma, and the Virat Kohli show began.
Kohli chose the gaps superbly and scorned Pakistan's bowlers as he went on to hit a massive 183 runs in an innings that included 22 fours and two sixes. He also had a brilliant strike rate of 123.65 and put on a 172-run partnership before being dismissed in the 46th over with India dominating by 305 runs. This is still his highest score in one-day international cricket. In fact, this is the highest individual score ever scored by an Asia Cup batter.
82 at Melbourne (T20 World Cup 2022)
India were in danger after losing both openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma in the first four overs of their chase for 160. After losing the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel, India was reeling at 31-4 after 6.1 overs.
It was then that Virat Kohli stepped forward, gently and methodically changing the game for India, like he has done so many times before. He remained at his crease as he and Hardik Pandya stitched a century partnership for the fifth wicket. He then went mad towards the finish, smashing 82 runs off 53 balls in an innings that featured six fours and four sixes. In fact, he transformed the game by smashing two consecutive sixes off Haris Rauf before striking a game-changing six against Mohammad Nawaz in the last over.
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