Virat Kohli acknowledges the crowd with muted celebrations after scoring a fifty in the one-off T20I vs England in Birmingham on Sunday.
© AFP
Virat Kohli overcame poor form from the Test and ODI series against England to slam a 41-ball 66, to break Yuvraj Singh's record of most runs and fifties by an Indian in T20 Internationals. (Highlights)
Kohli, who had failed to score a half-century in 14 successive international innings, came out all guns blazing as India sought to chase 181 against England in the only T20 International in Birmingham. India had suffered an early loss after Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed for 8 by Moeen Ali in the second over of the innings. However, Kohli was in a murderous mood, and set the tone for the chase, smashing Chris Woakes for three successive boundaries in an over. Despite his heroics, however, India went on to lose the game by a narrow margin of three runs.
There was no looking back for the Delhi dasher thereafter, as he clobbered nine boundaries and one six in the course of an entertaining knock. Kohli's nemesis on the England tour, James Anderson did not feature in the T20I on Sunday and that must have added as an incentive for the out-of-form India deputy. The 25-year-old right-handed batsman did not show any of his earlier weaknesses in the series and picked the gap at will, taking the English attack to task in great batting conditions, in front of partisan Indian crowds. (In-form Raina jumps up the ladder in ICC ODI Rankings)
Kohli, in the course of the innings, also became the most successful Indian batsman in T20 Internationals, overtaking Yuvraj Singh, the hero of India's triumph at the World T20 in 2007 in South Africa. Kohli, with nine fifties, now has the most half-centuries by an Indian in T20 Internationals and has the most runs (971), after breaking another record held by Yuvraj. (Fletcher's fate to be decided by Shastri's report: Sources)
Kohli in fact, is now also the top run-scorer in India-England T20Is, with 184 runs at an average of 30.66 in six matches, including a fifty.
Kohli's sensational comeback to form, though, was no real surprise. A quintessential modern-day cricketer, Kohli thrives in the T20 format. In his last six innings, Kohli has registered five fifties in T20Is.
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