IND v SA, T20 World Cup Final: Virat Kohli equals Babar Azam’s fifty-ball record with 48 balls

Virat Kohli, as Rohit Sharma said, saved his best for last in the T20 World Cup final. On the day of the grand final, when the top order collapsed against South Africa, Virat Kohli stepped up and hit a fifty, his first of the tournament. Kohli reached his fifty at the Kensington Oval in Barbados in 48 balls, but his presence was crucial to the team that posted a competitive total as he held one side steady and didn’t let South Africa run away with it.

Virat Kohli had scored just 75 runs in the first seven matches of the T20 World Cup. His place in the team was questioned but the team management including captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid backed him and his experience to perform well at a crucial juncture of the tournament.

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Virat Kohli, the aggressor, took a backseat and the accumulator shone in the grand final. Kohli was criticized for playing out of his mold and throwing it away. In the semi-final, Kohli managed to hit England fast bowler Reece Topley for a six in the first over, but he threw it away in the same over when he tried to hit an out-of-form shot. However, on Saturday, Kohli switched back to his classic style, hitting shots depending on the quality of delivery. He started with three boundaries in the first over — a cover drive, a straight drive and a flick to deep fine-leg.

Virat Kohli achieved his 39th score of over fifty, equaling the record for most scores of over fifty in the history of men’s T20I cricket.

1. Babar Azam – 39 scores of over fifty in 123 matches
2. Virat Kohli – 39 in 126 matches
3. Rohit Sharma – 37 in 159 matches
4. Mohammad Rizwan – 30 in 102 matches
5. David Warner – 29 in 110 games

Virat Kohli reached his fifty in 48 balls but he accelerated after reaching his milestone. He finished with 76 off 59 balls, hitting his last 26 runs in just 11 balls. He went 37 balls without a boundary but flexed his muscles for late acceleration.

India posted 176 for 7 in 20 overs, thanks to a late cameo from Shivam Dube. Axar Patel was the star of the Indian innings as he swung the momentum in the team’s favour with a gutsy 47 from 31 deliveries.