India star batter Virat Kohli recalled one of the most memorable knocks of his career when he singlehandedly took India to a sensational win against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup match last year.
Speaking at a corporate event, Kohli was asked to explain his feelings during the blockbuster clash in Melbourne and he confessed that he was still in disbelief at what had truly unfolded that night.
“I still can’t make any sense of it. That’s a very honest admission. And a lot of people have tried to ask me what were you thinking, how did you plan and I have no answers. The fact of the matter is that I was so much under pressure that my mind had shut off completely by the 12th or 13th over.” he said.
The right-hander made an unbeaten 82 from 53 in the nerve-wracking game against arch-rivals which went down to the wires as India sealed a four-wicket win on the final ball in front of jam-packed MCG stadium.
Pakistan’s brilliant pace attack had kept India at bay at the start as they were reduced to 31 for 4 in 6.1 overs while chasing 160 before Kohli and Hardik Pandya gathered a match-winning 113-run stand.
Kohli struggled greatly early on, failing to find the gaps but as the game proceeded, he showcased his temperament and outstanding prowess to snatch the victory from Pakistan’s hands.
“At the 10th over mark, we were 31 for 4 and I had just ran Axar out. I was 12 off 25, or something. I remember in the break, Rahul bhai came to me and I don’t remember what he said. I swear and I even told him this as well. I told him, ‘I have no idea what you told me in that break because I was zoned out’,” he said.
“My mind was spinning so fast…I was like this is worse than it was before. I had spiralled down so far down that there is no comeback from here and that was my honest feeling at the halfway mark.
That is when my instinct took over. So when I stopped thinking and planning, whatever God-given talent I have that came to the surface and then I felt like something higher was guiding me.” he added.
“What happened that night, I can never explain it and it won’t happen ever again,” he concluded.
