India vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup 2022 Highlights: Epic Virat Kohli innings leads IND to 4-wicket win in nail-biter

Well just to conclude this game, an Indian World Cup debutant and an all-rounder who has got past career-threatening injuries took three wickets each. A Pakistan player who was flat on the ground after being hit by a shot in the nets two days ago stood strong while the rest of his team fell around him. Then the Pakistan pace attack were as lethal as ever after which, an all-time great who had to prove himself once again this year, played an innings of a lifetime to take India to a win. What a start for India, what a start for the T20 World Cup itself. That's it from us for now, I take leave hoping to see at least one more match in this tournament that would be half as thrilling as this one. Ciao!

"I have no voice left. We were always wanting to make sure we stayed in the game as long as possible. We've been talking constantly about it. No matter what the situation, you've got to believe you can pull through, and that partnership changed the game for us. There was good carry, good swing as well, and we utilised that well up front. That was good to see from the bowling perspective. They batted well in the middle. We knew it would not be an easy target on that pitch. We knew we would have to bat out of our skins. Virat and Hardik are experienced guys. Staying calm and taking it as deep as possible was critical, and they did that. It's good for our confidence to get off the mark in our first game, and the way we won is more pleasing for us, the way we came back. Hats off to Virat. It has to go off as not one of his best, but the best innings he has played for India. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us, and I will expect nothing less wherever we travel in Australia."

“Our bowlers bowled really well. All credit to Kohli and Pandya. It wasn't easy with the new ball. We had partnerships after 10 overs. We had a chance. We tried to stick to our plans. But credit to Virat Kohli. In the middle we decided we wanted a wicket and held the spinner back. We had a lot of positives. The way Iftikhar played and the way Shan played.”

The 113-run stand between Kohli and Pandya is the highest for India against Pakistan in T20Is for any wicket. 48 runs were scored in the last three overs, which is the joint most in a chase in a T20 World Cup. Kohli and India have announced their arrival in this tournament in an utterly sensational manner. 

"Well, it's a surreal atmosphere. I honestly have no words. I have no idea how that happened. Hardik kept telling me, just believe we can stay till the end. I'm lost for words. Well, I think when Shaheen bowled from the Pavilion end, I told Hardik we have to take him down. The calculation was simple. Nawaz had one over to bowl, so if I could take Haris down, they would panic. It came down to 16 off 6. I'm kind of lost for words. [On the two sixes off Rauf:] It's just instinctively I saw it, told myself to stay still. The one at long-on was unexpected, it was a back-of-a-length slower ball. The fine leg one, I just threw my bat at it. Till today I said Mohali was my best T20 innings. Then I got 82 off 52, today I got 82 off 53. Both are just as special. All these months when I was struggling, you guys [the crowd] kept me going. Thank you so much."

Here he is, talking to his former head coach Ravi Shastri. He cannot speak, no one can hear themselves speak here. Let's see what he says when he can. For now, let's just acknowledge what he has done here. Just a few months ago, there was serious discussions over whether Kohli deserved to be in the squad. Well, there can never be any conversations like that for the next five years now. An extraordinary knock, a reminder of the genius that he always has been. 

Stop Ashwin and Kohli at your own peril. They are roaring, screaming, the Indian players stream onto the field like they have won the World Cup itself. The MCG has gone bonkers! One of the greatest matches in the history of the T20 World Cup has ended in India's favour. Kohli, the man who has led India to so many victories, looks like he is cherishing this one more than any of the others. 

Ashwin did what DK didn't. He just leaves the ball, which is something DK could have done because it was a similar delivery. India need one off one. Yikes!

The umpires have gone upstairs but Karthik has walked off. Nawaz goes down the leg side, DK tries to sweep, ball hits his pads and Rizwan is quick to collect the ball and hit the stumps. Ashwin on strike, India need two to win off one. 

Now then, a bit of confusion. Nawaz had bowled Kohli over but it is a free hit, the batters run three but the Pakistan fielders ask if the runs stand because the ball had hit the stumps. Umpires say yes, that is the case, India need 2 to win off 2 balls. Cricket, goodness me. Incredible scenes at the 'G. 

The MCG is roaring like Kohli has hit the biggest six of all time. He can still, you know, India are inches away from a famous win. 

Full toss again from Nawaz and Kohli pulls it beyond the boundary. The umpire signals no ball as well. Double whammy here and India now need six to win off three balls. Oh this match is not for the faint-hearted. 

Kohli goes down the ground and the two batters dash around for two runs. Karthik, 37, comes sprinting back and puts in a dive. 

Chest high full toss from Nawaz, Karthik can't get it away, Kohli is on strike. Here we go. 

Pandya skies it and Babar catches it. The new batter is on strike. Dinesh Karthik, the comeback king, walks in. India still in it but that is exactly the start Pakistan needed in this over. 

Pandya c Babar Azam b Mohammad Nawaz 40 (37), India 144/5 in 19.1 overs

Rauf angles into the stumps, Kohli flicks it and the MCG explodes. What a shot that is, what an innings this is from the former India captain. India within three hits now but Pandya who is struggling a bit is on strike. Mohammad Nawaz has the ball in hand, here we go. 

Oh that is a contender for shot of the tournament. Slow one into the pitch from Rauf, Kohli stands tall and sends it over the bowler's head beyond the boundary. Sensational shot. 

But India won't really care about that at the moment, they have made just two off the first three balls. Pandya on strike and completely misses a wild swing off a short ball. 

India 129/4, need 31 to win off 12. Kohli pulls Afridi fine and India have 17 from the 18th. Kohli has reached 57 off 46. Now comes to the bogeyman, Haris Rauf, to bowl the all-important second last over. 

Kohli goes over cover and the ball snails its way to the boundary after landing. Three fielders chasing it but it touches the ropes before they can get there. This is fantastic from Kohli, India see some light now. 

Oh what a shot that is. Short from Afridi, Kohli pulls to the boundary and brings up his half century in 43 balls. 

Five balls have gone in the 17th and just four runs have come off it, two singles and a double. These do nothing for India. 

India need 54 to win off 24. And Haris will bowl six off those remaining balls. Three of those runs in this over came because of a wide. Slowly drifting away from India at the moment. 

Here is the danger man, he has two overs left and he has already taken two wickets. India are very much the underdogs in this chase at the moment, they have just five wickets left, not much batting after DK and need 60 to win off 30. 

Kohli comes out, Naseem looks to cramp him for room, Kohli just clips it leg side for a boundary. Excellent batting this and Kohli moves to 41 off 36.