‘Diwali celebration inaugurated’ - Praises pour in from India’s finest for Virat Kohli’s knock vs Pakistan

Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82 took India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2022 match against Pakistan. It drew praise from Olympians Neeraj Chopra, PR Sreejesh and others.

2 minBy Rahul Venkat
Virat Kohli
(2022 Getty Images)

India’s Virat Kohli played one of the best innings of his career to help win a tense India vs Pakistan match in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday.

As India stumbled to 31/4 in a chase of 160, Virat Kohli stitched together a 113-run stand with Hardik Pandya to stabilise the innings and unleashed at the end.

Virat Kohli hit six fours and four sixes, including one in the final over off a no-ball from Mohammad Nawaz, to end up with an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls.

It drew parallels with another famous knock of his, an unbeaten 82 against Australia in Mohali during the 2016 T20 World Cup, which Virat Kohli had ranked as the best of his T20I career.

But that knock has been dethroned now.

“It's a surreal atmosphere, I have no words, no idea how that happened. I am really lost for words,” Virat Kohli said while receiving his ‘Player of the Match’ award.

“Till today I said Mohali was my best T20 innings. Then I got 82 off 52, and today I got 82 off 53. I will count this one higher because of the magnitude of the game.”

The whole of India was indeed gushing after witnessing an epic knock and the country’s sportspersons were not too far behind in their praise.

“It was undoubtedly the best innings of your life,” tweeted Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. “It was a treat to watch you play, the six off the back foot in the 19th over against (Haris) Rauf over long on was spectacular! Keep it going.”

Olympic gold-medallist Neeraj Chopra and Indian hockey team’s seasoned goalkeeper PR Sreejes were among the many athletes who took to social media to show their appreciation for the knock.

“Virat Kohli alone has burst firecrackers for the whole country,” wrote Indian football star Sunil Chhetri, referring to the Diwali festival that will begin in India on Monday.

The match was the Indian cricket team’s opening game of the T20 World Cup 2022. India will play the Netherlands next on Thursday.