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Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh noted that despite not posting big scores, Virat Kohli has been timing the ball well in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Harbhajan Singh made these observations ahead of India’s upcoming match against Australia, a highly anticipated clash between two of cricket’s top teams. Both teams reached the finals of the World Test Championship and Cricket World Cup last year, underscoring their competitive prowess.
In this crucial encounter, a win for India would secure their spot in the semifinals, while Australia would rely on Bangladesh defeating Afghanistan in the Super 8 match to stay in contention. Conversely, an Australian victory would complicate India’s path if Afghanistan also triumphs.
The stage is set at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St. Lucia for what promises to be a thrilling contest. Key matchups like Virat Kohli against Pat Cummins, Rohit Sharma versus Mitchell Starc, Travis Head facing Jasprit Bumrah, and David Warner taking on Arshdeep Singh are anticipated with great excitement.
All eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who has faced criticism for his performance in challenging conditions during this tournament. As a two-time highest scorer in T20 World Cups, Kohli has accumulated only 66 runs so far, with his highest being 37 against Bangladesh in the Super 8s.
Virat Kohli, who recently won the IPL 2024 Orange Cap, will need to showcase his batting prowess from the top order if India aims to secure their first T20 World Cup title since 2007. Harbhajan Singh, reflecting on Kohli’s potential to deliver, highlighted these expectations ahead of the crucial match.
Speaking to Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh expressed his optimism about Virat Kohli delivering a strong performance against Australia. The former off-spinner noted that Kohli has been timing and striking the ball well throughout the tournament, despite not converting those opportunities into big scores.
Harbhajan Singh believes that once Virat Kohli settles into his innings, he will become formidable and difficult to contain on the field.
“Ever since Virat has come to the Caribbean, the ball has been meeting the middle of his bat. While he hasn’t got those big scores, what you should see in T20s is whether the 20s and 30s have made the impact. We know that once he is set, he can score big and hopefully, that will come against Australia,” Harbhajan Singh told Star Sports.
