Is there a finer chaser in world cricket than Virat Kohli? MS Dhoni perhaps? It was a good thing for India the two of them were together in the dying stages of their quasi quarter-final against Australia in Mohali. Dhoni’s men progressed to a semi-final, against West Indies, and ended Australia’s World T20 campaign, and the international career of Shane Watson, with a chase of impeccable timing led by Kohli.
Set 161 for victory, India saw their required run-rate balloon up past 10 an over, up towards 12 an over, but Kohli was always poised to prick the balloon. He did so with such perfect timing – 19 runs coming off the 18th over from James Faulkner and then 16 off the next from Nathan Coulter-Nile – that you felt he never doubted himself. In the end, India got home with five balls to spare, madness when you consider they needed 47 off 24.
The win came with a boundary clubbed through long-on by Dhoni from the first ball of the 20th over. Faulkner by then was in the unenviable position of having to keep India to three or less in the final over, such was the devastation that had just occurred. Dhoni had played an important role with 18 not out off 10, but it was Kohli who fell to his knees to celebrate. This was on him. Him and his unbeaten 82 from 51 deliveries.
DIFFICULT WORDS AND MEANINGS:
- Quasi: being partly or almost
- Progressed: develop great destruction or damage
- Impeccable: in accordance with the highest standard
- Poised: having a composed manner
- Unenviable: difficult, undesirable, or unpleasant
- Devastation: great destruction or damage
Source : ESPN