Kohli reminisces Rohit's iconic celebration after thrilling win vs Pak at WC: 'Played with him for long time but...'

Fresh from slamming a record-equalling century at the grandest stage on Sunday, former India skipper Virat Kohli took a trip down memory lane by recalling his majestic knock against Pakistan in the ICC World T20 last year. Doing the unthinkable in the blockbuster encounter, Kohli played a blinder of a knock to make sure Team India edged out Pakistan in the final-ball thriller at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

After the epic win over Pakistan, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's class act for Kohli had made headlines. Rohit gave Kohli a tight hug before lifting the former India skipper following his batting masterclass against Pakistan at the World Cup. Revisiting the nail-biting contest between the traditional rivals during the 2023 World Cup, batting icon Kohli opened up about Rohit's grand gesture.

“I have played with Rohit for a long time but I have not seen him express so much,” Kohli told Star Sports. The former India skipper played a quick-fire knock of 82 off 53 balls to secure India's four-wicket win over Pakistan at the T20 World Cup last year in Australia. In his entertaining knock at the MCG, the former India skipper demolished the world-class bowling attack of Pakistan to script a famous win for the Men In Blue.

No extra preparation to face Afridi and Co.

Pakistan's fast-bowling attack was spearheaded by speedsters Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf at the T20 World Cup last year. “There was no extra preparation to face them because over the years you are used to 140, 145, 150 kmph bowling. The only thing you need to do is to get into a mental space and get ready for the challenge,” Kohli recalled.

The 35-year-old finished the T20 World Cup 2022 as the tournament's leading run-getter. Talking more about last year’s World Cup in Australia, India and Pakistan resumed their iconic rivalry after Babar Azam and Co. defeated Kohli and Co. for the first time at the T20 World Cup in 2021. Babar's men managed to break the World Cup jinx by defeating India by 10 wickets at the 2021 ICC World T20. Dropping a captaincy bombshell, Kohli revealed that he will step down as India's T20I captain after the 2021 World Cup.

“The defeat against Pakistan in 2021 never came to my mind (in 2022). Considering the big human error factor involved in sport, there is no guarantee that on a given day you will win. We were winning against Pakistan all those years but on that day, they outplayed us. There’s no shame in accepting that. It was a good reality check for everyone. We can’t play a match thinking we have to avenge a defeat in the past,” Kohli added.