Virat Kohli stops Wankhede crowd from chanting 'Sara Sara', points at Shubman Gill; what follows is box office

There are few better sights on the cricket field than an on-song Virat Kohli going about his business. Whether chasing a total under pressure or fielding in the inner circle while defending one, he is a show-stopper. No wonder cameras can't get enough of him. His every shot, the way he runs between the wickets or uses his wrists just to give the ball a different direction, the way he pounces on the ball in the field, his celebrations after India take a wicket... everything is prime-time television. Kohli is without a doubt, a box-office cricketer.

And when the eagle eyes of multiple television cameras glued to Kohli miss an action or two during the course of a match, the crowd do the rest with their mobile phones. There were multiple moments like these during the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2023 match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The crowd captured Kohli dancing to "My Name is Lakkhan" song. They also got Kohli to do shadow bowling after shouting "Kohli ko bowling do (give the ball to Kohli)". But the former India captain's reaction to constant "Sara, Sara" chants stole the show.

While standing in the slip cordon, Kohli, at first slip and Gill, at second, were probably expecting a catch every ball. That's how good were the Indian pace troika of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami. Bumrah and Siraj got wickets off their first ball while Shami started off a double-wicket over.

In between, there was a brief period when Sri Lankan batters Charith Asalanka and Angelo Matthews provided some resistance that lasted 6.2 overs. It was during that period that Kohli and Gill were side by side in the slip cordon with the Wankhede crowd coming up with all sorts of slogans.

Kohli was playing a complete sport to all the chants directed at him but when the crowd started to tease Gill with 'Sara Sara' chants, Kohli requested them to stop. He then pointed towards Gill and asked the crowd to chant his name. Loud "Shubman Shubman" chants then engulfed the stadium as Kohli egged them on with hand gestures.

It was a night to remember for India in more ways than one. Gill and Kohli stitched together a mouth-watering 189-run stand for the second wicket after captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed as early as the second ball of the match. Both Gill (92) and Kohli (88) missed out on their respective centuries but their partnership ensured India had the perfect launching pad.

Next, it was up to Shreyas Iyer to silence the critics. And he did that in some style by smashing 82 off 56 balls including six sixes. India posted 357/8.

Then, Bumrah (1/8), Siraj (3/15), and Shami (5/18) needed just 19.4 overs to finish Sri Lanka. The 1996 champions were bowled out for 55. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 50 in their last outing against India in the Asia Cup final.

This huge 302-run victory also confirmed India a semi-final spot in this World Cup. They are then the only unbeaten team in the tournament with 7 wins in a row.