Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20 International cricket after an extraordinary final act—the victory of the T20 World Cup, 2024—in June. Though he was criticized toward the end of his T20I career for a relatively low strike rate, Virat Kohli’s assignment in the format will always be remembered for his unforgettable innings against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
In a match when India’s prospects seemed grim, Kohli came to the crease with India struggling at 31 for 4 at the end of the powerplay. He showed remarkable composure and skills and played an unbeaten knock of 82 runs off 53 balls. One of the most memorable moments of that innings was the majestic six down the ground against Haris Rauf. Now, Shaheen Afridi, one of the key players for Pakistan during that tournament, has called Kohli’s innings the best he has ever seen.
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“Virat Kohli is a great player, and a player of his caliber can produce such innings. That ball from Haris Rauf was his best delivery, and Kohli hitting it for a six straight down the ground was simply unbelievable. In my career, I have never seen a better innings than Kohli’s 82*,” Shaheen Afridi commented on Star Sports.
Shaheen Shah Afridi said (on star sports) that Virat Kohli 82* vs Pakistan at the MCG is the best innings he has seen ever. pic.twitter.com/xvBcNAOvv8
— Abhinav (@Abhicricket18) August 21, 2024
Kohli’s T20I career ended high when he played a match-winning innings in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa at Barbados. At the fall of three quick wickets in the top order, Kohli continued to keep the team in contention with an obstinate 76 runs off 59 balls. N(cb: Before that final, Kohli had managed just 73 runs in seven innings.
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This was my last T20 World Cup, and achieving this win was our goal. Days come when things seem impossible regarding scoring runs, but then things turn around. God is great, and I managed to get the job done for the team when it mattered,” Kohli said in the aftermath of his last T20 World Cup.
