Indian National Cricket Team star player Virat Kohli was at his best on the field in the third and final T20I of the home series against Ibrahim Zadran-led Afghanistan National Cricket Team at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, January 17.
Kohli returned to T20I cricket for the Indian national cricket team in the series against the Afghanistan national cricket team after a long wait of 14 months. Notably, he, along with Rohit, had kept his primary focus on Test and ODI cricket and the BCCI was providing opportunities to youngsters in T20I cricket.
Kohli did not take part in the first T20I match of the series against the Afghanistan national cricket team as he was unavailable for selection due to personal reasons. However, he returned to the team for the second T20I in Indore and made a brilliant 29 runs. He showed his intent from the first ball and took the Afghan players to the cleaners.
Expectations were very high for Virat Kohli in the dead match against Afghanistan as the match was held at their IPL home ground – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Fans expected Kohli to fire with the bat after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early dismissal but it did not happen as the batting maestro was forced to walk back to the hut in search of a golden duck.
Virat Kohli tried to smash a Fareed Ahmad delivery but was caught by Ibrahim Zadran. When Kohli was dismissed, the entire crowd in Bengaluru went dead silent.
Although Virat Kohli couldn’t make any impact with the bat, he made sure to give his best on the field. Virat Kohli looked very energetic and did a brilliant job in the second innings. However, his finest moment came when he saved six from crossing the boundary.
On the fifth ball of the 17th over, Indian national cricket team all-rounder Washington Sundar bowled a slightly short delivery to Karim Janat, who smashed it off the back foot. The ball looked like it was going to go long, but Virat Kohli channeled his inner Superman, timed the jump perfectly and waved the ball into the field. Afghanistan’s batsmen got just one run when they were destined to get six, thanks to Kohli’s outrageous efforts.
Watch: Virat Kohli saves a certain six
Excellent effort near the ropes!
What do you think of a Virat Kohli save?
Follow the Match ▶️ | #INDvAFG | @imVkohli | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/0AdFb1pnL4
– BCCI (@BCCI) January 17, 2024
Talking about the third T20I between India and Afghanistan, it ended with the home team winning in an absolute thriller. India posted a massive total of 212 runs on the board, thanks to Rohit Sharma’s extraordinary ton. Chasing the target, Afghanistan batsmen contributed crucial runs and equaled India’s total. The teams then played two Super Overs to finally decide the winner, which was India.
Speaking after the match, Ravi Bishnoi, who bowled a fantastic last Super Over, said his heart rate was very high but he was extremely confident. He elaborated:
“The pressure was there, the heartbeat was racing, but I was confident in getting the job done. The captain told me that he would bowl; he knew it wouldn’t be easy for them if he bowled the long ball back, it would be difficult to hit off the back foot.
“It gives a lot of pleasure to defend during the super overs. I’m happy with the way the ball comes out of my hand. My only thought is to make sure the hitter doesn’t get used to just one type of pitch. “I have worked on my leg spins in the nets and at the national level.”
