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Vintage Virat Kohli chooses perfect stage to dispel batting fears with ton against Pakistan

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Vintage Virat Kohli chooses perfect stage to dispel batting fears with ton against Pakistan
Vintage Virat Kohli chooses perfect stage to dispel batting fears with ton against Pakistan

New Delhi: You don’t need extra motivation when playing against Pakistan but being part of the high-voltage clash comes with its own set of challenges for an Indian player. The pressure is incontestable and the stakes go beyond the fierce rivalry shared between the two teams. But not many relish the challenge of an India-Pakistan contest more than Virat Kohli.

Kohli has time and again showcased his prowess on the big stage against India’s arch-rivals and has led his team to some memorable victories over the years. It was no different on Sunday as Kohli stamped his authority on yet another chapter of the intriguing India-Pakistan rivalry with an unbeaten century. Dispelling any concerns regarding his batting, a vintage Kohli rolled back the years in style with a match-winning knock.

Kohli’s form was under the scanner heading into the marquee clash after his lean patch and cheap dismissal in India’s opener against Bangladesh. But as has been the case on several occasions in the past, a Pakistan game was all Kohli needed to return to form. His bat roared again on the big stage as he fired all cylinders against Pakistan to shut his critics in style.

Virat Kohli – The chase master

It was yet another batting masterclass from chase master Kohli in a pressure run chase for India. Kohli came out to bat when India were 31-1 having lost skipper Rohit Sharma after a crisp start. He anchored the chase to perfection and stayed on the pitch till the end to take his team by scoring the winning runs which also helped him notch up his 51st ODI ton, a number that might not be touched by a batter anytime son.

Kohli joined hands with Shubman Gill to steady the ship for India after Rohit’s departure. While Gill played the aggressor’s role, playing some exceptional shots all around the park against the Pakistani pacers, Kohli ensured he kept rotating the strike well from the other end. The duo added 69 runs for the second wicket to put India’s chase back on track before Gill was cleaned up by a ripper from spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Unfazed by the dismissal, Kohli continued his prolific run on the other end and joined hands with Shreyas Iyer to carry the momentum for India. Kohli and Iyuer upped the ante after spending some time together in the middle and batted Pakistan out of the game with a brilliant partnership of 114 runs which put India in touching distance of a victory.

Kohli once again took the back seat as Iyer took more risks and went after the Pakistani bowlers from time to time to keep the pressure on them. Iyer’s 56 off 67 was laced with 5 fours and a six. At the time of his departure, Kohli was still 15 runs short of his ton with India 28 runs away from victory. Hardik Pandya’s swashbuckling approach almost made Kohli’s century a distant dream but he was dismissed after scoring only 8 off 6 balls, leaving some hope for the star batter.

Kohli ensured he didn’t let the opportunity drift away as he managed to complete a well-deserved century with a boundary off the final delivery of the match which also sealed India’s victory against Pakistan.

Virat Kohli continues dominant run against Pakistan

Kohli continued his dominant run against Pakistan with his sixth Player of the Match award against the arch-rivals in ICC events. He last won the Player of the Match award after his stunning unbeaten 82-run-knock against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup where he pulled India over the line in a near-impossible run chase.

However, it was his maiden Player of the Match award against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy with the other five coming in World Cups. Kohli has been a nightmare for Pakistan in ODIs with an impressive 778 runs in just 17 matches at an exceptional average of 57.84 and a strike rate close to 99 with 4 tons and two fifties under his belt.

Kohli also has the most runs against Pakistan in ICC events with 745 runs from just 15 innings across formats. The Team India star loves playing against Pakistan and continues to relish the added pressure of performing on the big stage against the arch-rivals in the final lap of his career just as much as he did as a young gun.

Another day, another milestone for the run machine

Kohli not only shut his critics with his impressive ton under pressure against Pakistan but also managed to complete yet another milestone in his illustrious career. The senior India batter surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar to become the quickest to 14,000 runs in ODIs. He completed the milestone in just 287 innings, 63 lesser than Tendulkar, who reached the feat in 350 innings.

 

 Virat Kohli once again fired on the big stage as he roared back to form against Pakistan with an unbeaten match-winning ton, dispelling any fears regarding his batting. Kohli’s match-winning ton helped India bag their second win in a row in the Champions Trophy 2025.  Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today

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