STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsHoly-Moly! What a finish to the most anticipated match of the T20 World Cup. From deep disarray, India managed to pull off a monumental win. Thanks to Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya’s sensational 113-run partnership for the fifth wicket. The match was filled with records and the hero of it was none other than Kohli
Kohli is not the King, but the god of chases
They call him the master or King of chases. Chuck that! He is the god of chase and today’s innings was a testimony of it. In his innings of an unbeaten 82, Kohli recorded few milestones and extended is godly record in T20 WC while chasing:
- In 10 innings of T20 World Cup chase, Kohli has scored 541 runs with seven 50+ scores at a gargantuan average of 270.5. Yes, that’s right, he averages 270.5 at a strike rate of 135.9.
Adding more spice, in a successful chase, he averages 518 in nine innings, and only been dismissed once.
- Overall in T20Is, Kohli has an average of 73.4 in 45 innings. Among batters who have batted 25+ innings in a chase, no other batter averages more than 50. In a successful chase, that average shoots to 90.05. Only nine times, India have lost across those 45 innings.
- In his entire T20I career, Kohli has scored 52.3 percent (1983 out of 3794) of his runs in chases.
- With an unbeaten 82, Kohli ended with 3794 and surpassed Rohit Sharma’s tally of 3741 runs to become the highest run scorer in T20Is.
- In T20 WC, Kohli has 927 runs at an average of 84.3. His runs are the most for an Indian in the tournament. Rohit could add only four runs to his tally and reach 851. In terms of 50+ scores, his 11 are the most for a batter.
- In WC, against Pakistan, Kohli has been dismissed only once in five innings and has scored 308 runs with four 50+ scores. Overall, he averages 81.3 against Pakistan in 10 innings.
- By winning the Player of the Match award, Kohli now has 14, which is the most for a player. In T20 WC, this was his sixth, which is also the most for a player.
A match winning partnership
India were tottering at 31/4 when Hardik joined hands with Kohli for the fifth wicket partnership. They were slow to start, but picked up after the 10th over break.
They forged a 113-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which is the highest fifth or lower wicket partnership by a full-member team after losing four wickets for less than 35 runs. For India, this is the highest partnership for fifth or lower wicket in all T20Is.
In T20 WC, only Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik in 2007 against Australia and Curtis Campher and George Dockrell in Hobart this year against Scotland, have registered a better partnership (119*).
Achieved the impossible
Owing to big grounds chasing anything of 100 runs in the last 10 overs is a difficult feat in Australia for any team. Before this match, only four times 100+ runs were scored in the second half to win a match.
By chasing 115 runs in the last 10 overs, India registered a record. In T20Is in Australia, this is the joint most runs scored in a successful chase. Ireland against Scotland in this year, also chased 115 runs in this phase in Hobart. Overall, in all T20s at MCG, only Melbourne Stars (116) against Perth Scorchers had scored more runs in the last 10 to win. In T20Is for India, only against West Indies (120) in 2019, they had chased more runs to win.
To add more, India scored 60 runs in the last five overs. This also their most runs scored in a successful chase in the last five overs. Previously, against Australia in 2016, they had chased 59 runs in this phase. Interestingly, in this match as well, Kohli scored an unbeaten 82.
All-round Hardik
Alongside Kohli, Hardik’s contribution with the bat and not to forget with the ball, played a crucial role. Though it was a slow knock of 40 from 37 balls, he stood with Kohli. Earlier with the ball, he picked up three crucial wickets, which involved a double wicket over.
In the T20 WC, he became the first Indian player to pick up two wickets and score 30+ runs in a single match. Overall in T20Is, this is the fourth instance of Hardik achieving this feat. Out of which, three have come this year.
