India's T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland was a contrasting day for their top batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While captain Rohit Sharma, roared into form, achieving multiple batting milestones. Partnering with Kohli at the top of the order, he played with exceptional aggression, setting the tone for a dominant Indian victory. It was due to Yashasvi Jaiswal's absence that Kohli and Rohit get to open the innings for India.
Kohli, however, experienced a rare off-day. Despite his usual aggressive approach, he mistimed a shot and was dismissed for a mere 1 run from 5 deliveries. This score marked his lowest ever in a T20 World Cup match, a stark contrast to his previous performances in the tournament. Before this match, Kohli boasted a phenomenal average of 81.5, with an impressive record of converting 14 out of his 25 innings into scores exceeding 50 runs. Unfortunately, on this occasion, an edge towards fielder Benjamin White ended his innings before he could get going.
Gavaskar backs Kohli for redemption against Pakistan
Despite a disappointing start to the tournament with his lowest ever T20 World Cup score, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar remains confident in Virat Kohli's ability to bounce back. Gavaskar expects the ‘milestone man’ to return to form in grand style, predicting a performance that even surpasses expectations. He believes Kohli has the potential to deliver another match-defining innings against arch-rivals Pakistan, potentially turning the tide of the high-stakes encounter.
“The way I look at it is…great players like Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and Joe Root. They fail in one match; they wanna make up for it in the next match. They want to score double the runs. So whatever runs he might not have gotten (against Ireland), you know, he wants to score double the runs. And who better to score double the runs than against Pakistan,” Gavaskar told Star Sports after India's win over Ireland.
While Virat Kohli's dismissal for 1 against Ireland marked his lowest score in a T20 World Cup match, it's important to remember his exceptional record in chasing situations. He's earned the nickname ‘chasemaster’ for a reason. 78*, 36*, 54, 57*, 72*, 23, 55*, and 82 – these are some of Kohli's past T20 World Cup scores which he notched while chases in India's winning causes. This single off-day doesn't diminish Kohli's historic achievements. He remains the first batsman to reach 4,000 runs in T20 cricket, a staggering feat accomplished in just 110 innings. He'll be eager to add to this tally alongside teammate Rohit Sharma, who also notched a half-century against Ireland. Both Kohli and Sharma will be looking to bounce back and lead India to victory in their upcoming high-profile clash against Pakistan on Sunday, June 9 at the same venue.
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