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Pakistan’s batting great Misbah-ul-Haq has supported Virat Kohli’s measured innings during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa. Misbah-ul-Haq believes that Kohli’s approach was appropriate given the circumstances of the match.
In a crucial final, Virat Kohli played a pivotal role by scoring 76 runs, earning him the Player of the Match award. India successfully defended their first innings total of 176-6 against South Africa, triumphing by 7 runs at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, known for its high-scoring matches.
Despite initial concerns about the total being below par, Rohit Sharma’s team managed a remarkable victory, largely thanks to the outstanding performances of pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya.
Virat Kohli’s innings, where he scored 76 runs off 59 balls at a strike rate exceeding 128, included 6 fours and 2 sixes. While some experts questioned the pace of his innings during the India vs South Africa match, Misbah-ul-Haq’s backing underscores the strategic value Kohli brought to India’s successful campaign in the tournament.
Former cricketer and now commentator Misbah-ul-Haq expressed his opinion on Virat Kohli’s innings in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final. Speaking on a Pakistani news channel, the ex-right-handed batsman mentioned that Kohli’s approach was justified given the circumstances of the match.
“One more thing I would like to say is that we are definitely saying that 37 balls is okay, fine. But, on the other hand, if he (Virat Kohli) had taken the chance and got out of the 37 balls, it was possible that India would have had to defend 150 or 140”, he said.
“So, the situation could have gone both ways because at that time they were standing on the edge and they could have gone in any direction”, he further added.
“They could have scored 170 or if they had gone in the direction of 190, it could have been 140. So, that was the risk which I think they understood better at that time and finally they managed to win this game”, the 50-year-old concluded. Have a look at the video below.
India encountered an early setback in their innings as Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav departed cheaply, all falling for single-digit scores. However, a resilient partnership between Virat Kohli, who contributed 76 runs, and Axar Patel, who added 47, steered India to a competitive total of 176-7.
In response, South Africa seemed in control during their chase, bolstered by contributions from Quinton de Kock (39) and Heinrich Klaasen (52). Yet, they faltered when 26 runs were required off the last three overs. Jasprit Bumrah conceded just 2 runs in the 18th over, Arshdeep Singh allowed 4 runs in the 19th, and Hardik Pandya restricted them to 8 runs in the final over, clinching the title for India.
Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah claimed two wickets each, while Hardik Pandya starred with a three-wicket haul. Virat Kohli, renowned for his struggles with half-centuries in previous matches, delivered a pivotal innings in the final, earning him the Player of the Match accolade.