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Virat Kohli's match-winning yet magical knock against Pakistan during T20 World Cup 2022 clash at the MCG is still etched in everyone's memory. It was batting juggernaut Virat Kohli who eked out a thrilling win for India from the jaws of defeat, that too against India's arch-rivals Pakistan.
Meanwhile, 27 months down the line, India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has revealed the key chat he had with Virat Kohli during the nerve-wracking clash against Pakistan. Pandya recounted that upon walking out to bat, he immediately told Kohli to stay at the crease until the 20th over.
Kohli delivered one of his finest T20I innings in that same match against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The contest was a nail-biter, with India suffering a dramatic batting collapse, losing their top and middle order in quick succession.
Hardik Pandya reveals key chat with Virat Kohli during IND vs PAK historic MCG clash
But Kohli refused to give up and kept on fighting till he won the the match for India. India's batting superstar found an ally in Hardik Pandya during his memorable innings. Together, the pair absorbed immense pressure and brought India back into contention. Their partnership took the game deep into the final over, setting the stage for Kohli's incredible chase.
Kohli's scintillating knock of 82 runs off 53 balls, punctuated by six fours and four sixes, became a global talking point. His six against Haris Rauf in the 19th over was even hailed by some as the 'shot of the century'.
Reflecting on that innings, Pandya describing the tense situation as 'a steep hill to climb'. While speaking to the ICC, Pandya explained that his primary objective was to ensure Kohli remained at the crease until the final over.
"My first thought was obviously that we could do it. It looked like a very steep hill to climb, but for me, I’ve been in many games where you don’t lose a battle until you give up, right? So, it was about believing in ourselves, staying at the crease, and taking the game ball by ball, step by step," the star all-rounder told ICC.
"Let’s see who cracks under pressure. My primary objective in this game was for Virat to play as long as possible. As soon as I walked in, my only message to him was that he had to stay until the 20th over," he added.
Hardik further explained his strategy during the crucial partnership. He recounted telling Kohli that he would target Mohammad Nawaz when the bowler came on, recognizing the need to accelerate the scoring rate. Hardik noted that the Pakistani team became visibly panicked as they saw Nawaz conceding runs. He then elaborated on this point.
"When Nawaz came on to bowl, I specifically remember saying, ‘I’m going to go after him.’ I knew I had to accelerate. I knew that if the ball landed in my arc, I was going to attack. It was a great opportunity for us to win the game by being fearless because there was no room left for holding ourselves back—we had to play risky cricket. As soon as we targeted him, we could see panic setting in—the way players were running around on the field."
"Pure emotion, man. We were so excited. That shot (off Haris Rauf) was like breaking the opponent’s back. When you stay in the fight, you stay in the hunt, and a lot of things start going your way. This is one of those iconic games that will always be remembered," Pandya concluded.
The batting duo will reunite in the India's upcoming ODI series against England which is set to get underway from February 6 in Nagpur. While Hardik is coming from India's triumphant run in the T20I series against England, Kohli will look to find his mojo back in the ODI series following his batting fiasco of late in the Ranji Trophy and Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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