Virat Kohli Responds to Doubters: Virat Kohli reads stuff on the internet. The 35-year-old RCB mega-star hinted at it by tearing into his doubters and critics in a stern manner yet with a smile on his face after delivering another chase masterclass at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium against Punjab Kings.
In the chase of 177, Virat Kohli scored 77 runs off 49 balls with the help of 11 fours and 2 sixes, while none of the other top six batters went past 20. After Kohli’s dismissal, it needed a thunderous partnership of 48* (18) between Dinesh Karthik and Mahipal Lomror to take RCB over the line with four balls to spare.
Kohli had been on a two-month break before the IPL when he missed the entire 5-Test series against England to be with his wife, Anushka Sharma, as she delivered their second child in London.
During this period, there were reports suggesting that the BCCI selectors have strongly pondered dropping Kohli from the T20 World Cup squad, citing his apparent struggles against spinners and strike rate issues in the first half of his T20 knocks. However, the ICC had already used Kohli’s name and stature to build up the T20 World Cup promos and posters.
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Virat Kohli Responds to Doubters in Post-Match Presentation
Speaking in the post-match presentation ceremony, Kohli gave a reminder to everyone that he’s “still got it” in the shortest format.
Kohli said,
“I know my name is now attached to just promoting the game in different parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But I’ve still got it I guess. That’s the promise I can give here – I’ll keep turning up and keep trying my best.”
In the chase, Virat Kohli got a reprieve on the second ball when Jonny Bairstow dropped his catch off Sam Curran’s bowling. He then looked flawless on a pitch that was two-paced. Kohli collected eight fours in the first four overs of RCB’s innings. After the powerplay, he walloped Rahul Chahar and Harshal Patel for a six each.
He creamed Patel for three more fours, but eventually, the former RCB bowler got him with a delivery wide outside the off-stump, to which Kohli sliced it to deep backward point.
The Chinnaswamy was silenced when Kohli and Rawat got out in succession, but veteran finisher Karthik stepped up for the second game in a row, smashing 28* (10), and supporting him was Lomror, who scored 17* (8).
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