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From tottering at 31/4 to clinching a game that India had no business winning, Virat Kohli played an innings of a lifetime and ensured a miraculous win for the Men in Blue against Pakistan on October 23 (Sunday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 runs of 53 balls, and as he himself admitted, it was the maverick batter's greatest knock in the shortest format of the game.
Kohli was the ultimate hero for India but there were other players who chipped in with crucial contributions, one of them being all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The swashbuckling three-dimensional player first bowled an incredible spell and bagged three wickets and then played an important knock with the bat. He was dismissed in the last over after scoring 40 runs off 37 balls. His partnership of 113 runs with Kohli for the fifth wicket was one of the best alliances you will see under pressure.
After the game, Kohli and Hardik sat down together and the latter reflected on the former's jaw-dropping effort with the bat, including the two imperious sixes in Haris Rauf's over that came from Kohli's bat.
"Those two shots played by Virat Kohli, just because I know how important those two shots were, if you had missed even shot, still they were running ahead with the game. I have hit a lot of sixes, but those two sixes were really really special. What it meant for both of us, we actually were so pumped. Those two shots, I told him that I have played so much cricket but I do not think anyone could have played those two shots except Mr. Kohli," Hardik told Kohli in a video posted on the website of BCCI.
"Yeah, the best part of today was that we struggled, but we did it together. This would not have been this special if we would have just walked, just cruised through hitting exceptional shots. It feels more special because we struggled. We were talking to each other on how difficult it was. Credit to Pakistan as well, they bowled really well. They were fantastic," he added.
"I sensed a lot of pressure in our room, I could sense it. It was a big game, but for me, I do not know, for some odd reason, I was very numb today when I came to the ground. This is where I wanted to be and I am just happy to be here. The quality of relationship which I have in this group is something I cherish.
"I would have taken a bullet for you at that point of time, but I would not have let you get out. My goal was simple, whatever I can do to make your life easier, I'll do it. You have done it so many times and no one is better at handling pressure than you," he added.
