It just wasn’t to be for Virat Kohli. The batter, who’d carried the Indian cricket team in past T20 World Cups, has let himself and the team down in the India vs England semifinal. But this wasn’t his first failure at the 2024 T20 World Cup. In the 7 innings he played, the batter made a double-digit score just twice. He’s averaged 10.7 and has a strike rate of 100.
Before the match started, many had high hopes. Known to perform on the big stage, it wouldn’t have been a shock to see Kohli stand up in the semifinal. Of course, his incredible record backed the notion of him coming good when it mattered as well.
He started scratchy, scoring just 1 of 6. On the 7th ball, he struck Reece Topley for a sumptuous six and raised hopes. However, having adopted an ultra-aggressive approach, he looked to slog Topley for another big hit, lost his balance, and the stumps were shattered.
Rahul Dravid lends Virat Kohli a shoulder
Dejected, he walked back. We later saw him sitting with his teammates in the dressing room, sulking. Known as a joyous and lively individual, it isn’t a normal sight to see. Feeling that he may have missed his last chance to lift the T20 World Cup, Kohli was visibly feeling the moment. Seeing Kohli hurt, head coach Rahul Dravid came in to console the batter. Having himself gone through a lot as a cricketer, Dravid knew what Kohli was feeling.
Editors pick
