Virat Kohli accelerated brilliantly in the record run chase and with six boundaries and six sixes, he dominated proceedings against the West Indies bowlers.
It was another special innings from Virat Kohli as the Indian cricket team skipper slammed an unbeaten 94 to guide his team to victory over West Indies in the first T20I encounter in Hyderabad on Sunday. Kohli accelerated brilliantly in the record run chase and with six boundaries and six sixes, he dominated proceedings against the West Indies bowlers. The knock was enough to earn him the Man of the Match award at the end of the encounter and as a result, he now has 12 MOMs to his name – a record along with Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi.
Most Man of the Match awards in T20Is
12 Virat Kohli
12 Mohammad Nabi
11 Shahid Afridi
Kohli’s highest T20 score anchored India’s chase of the 208-run target with eight balls to spare. The skipper hit six fours and another six sixes as his 35-ball half-century led India to 209-4 in 18.4 overs.
It was the highest T20 total chased down by India, going past the 207 versus Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009.
“I didn’t want to put pressure on Rahul but I couldn’t get going properly,” Kohli said. “I don’t have to change much (in my batting) across formats. I just concentrate on doing the job instead of hitting (the ball) in the air. I played according to the situation in the second half (of my innings).”
It was the 23rd time he made fifty-plus in T20 cricket, the most by any batsman.
The West Indies scored 207-5 after it was sent in to bat. Shimron Hetmyer (56) scored his maiden T20 half-century.
