“No one was worried about Virat Kohli’s form” – Irfan Pathan on opener’s 2024 T20 World Cup campaign

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan said no one was worried about Virat Kohli’s form in the T20 World Cup 2024. Kohli could only manage 75 runs in the seven matches of the T20I showpiece but he brought his best in the all-important final clash against South Africa.

The talisman scored a match-winning knock of 76 runs off 59 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes. Kohli’s innings helped India post a fighting score of 176 runs on the board and eventually their seven-run win.

Kohli was able to hit the ground running as he smashed Marco Jansen for three boundaries in the first over but he had to adopt a sedate approach after India found themselves under the cosh at 34-3, losing Rohit Sharma (9), Rishabh Pant (0), and Suryakumar Yadav (3) cheaply.

“Virat Kohli is the Indian team’s control room. He controls the winning moments. Even in the semi-finals and before that as well, no one was worried about Virat Kohli’s form. The only time I was worried was when I was commentating during the final, especially in that middle phase, but Virat knows the best,” Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports.

Pathan, who was awarded Player of the Match in the 2007 T20 World Cup final against Pakistan, said Kohli paced his innings brilliantly against South Africa.

“He knows what kind of pitch he is playing on and what is the best score for the Indian team, and he exactly did that, especially in the end when he finished the innings. It was so special because to actually go out there and perform in the final is not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone can achieve that. Virat Kohli is special,” Pathan observed.

Pathan added it is special for him that he and Kohli are now receivers of the Man of the Match award in the World Cup final.

“What makes it special is that I am going to be standing next to him when it comes to Man of the Match in the final. That will always be there with me as far as the special moments are concerned. The 2007 T20 World Cup Man of the Match in the final was given to Irfan Pathan, and the 2024 T20 World Cup Man of the Match in the final was given to our champion, our control room, Virat Kohli,” he said in the same interaction.

Virat Kohli scored 4188 runs in 125 T20I matches at an average of 48.7 and a strike rate of 137.04.