Australia v India
Wisden's review of Australia v India
R Kaushik
15-Apr-2017
At Mohali, March 27, 2016. India won by six wickets. Toss: Australia.
Virat Kohli produced one champagne moment after another to send a packed crowd into raptures, and India into a semi-final against West Indies. His extraordinary unbeaten 82, off just 51 balls, sealed India's sixth successive Twenty20 win over Australia, who were consigned to an early flight home. And yet, despite failing to build on a frenetic start that yielded 53 in four overs, the Australians had set about defending their eventual 160 with disciplined bowling and outstanding fielding. Even with Kohli still there, India needed a gargantuan effort after they lost a hobbling Yuvraj Singh at the end of the 14th over: when Dhoni strode out, they still required 67, the track had become sluggish, and the soft ball hard to time. No one told Kohli. Batting as if on a shirtfront against schoolkids, he nipped, tucked and drove Australia into submission, and ran them ragged. When the equation boiled down to 39 off 18 deliveries, he went into fifth gear, pulling and square-driving Faulkner for four, then launching him over long-off for six. In the 19th over, Kohli eased Coulter-Nile for four fours, three of them through or over the covers. Largely a silent spectator until now, Dhoni slammed the winning boundary with five balls to spare, and Kohli slumped to his knees, physically and emotionally spent. Earlier, India's bowlers had dragged Australia's innings back, though Smith was unfortunate to be given out caught behind as he tried to cut Yuvraj. But they managed only 51 runs between the fifth over and the 14th. In his last international, Watson then helped reduce India to 49 for three, only for Kohli to play the innings of the tournament.
Man of the Match: V. Kohli.
Virat Kohli produced one champagne moment after another to send a packed crowd into raptures, and India into a semi-final against West Indies. His extraordinary unbeaten 82, off just 51 balls, sealed India's sixth successive Twenty20 win over Australia, who were consigned to an early flight home. And yet, despite failing to build on a frenetic start that yielded 53 in four overs, the Australians had set about defending their eventual 160 with disciplined bowling and outstanding fielding. Even with Kohli still there, India needed a gargantuan effort after they lost a hobbling Yuvraj Singh at the end of the 14th over: when Dhoni strode out, they still required 67, the track had become sluggish, and the soft ball hard to time. No one told Kohli. Batting as if on a shirtfront against schoolkids, he nipped, tucked and drove Australia into submission, and ran them ragged. When the equation boiled down to 39 off 18 deliveries, he went into fifth gear, pulling and square-driving Faulkner for four, then launching him over long-off for six. In the 19th over, Kohli eased Coulter-Nile for four fours, three of them through or over the covers. Largely a silent spectator until now, Dhoni slammed the winning boundary with five balls to spare, and Kohli slumped to his knees, physically and emotionally spent. Earlier, India's bowlers had dragged Australia's innings back, though Smith was unfortunate to be given out caught behind as he tried to cut Yuvraj. But they managed only 51 runs between the fifth over and the 14th. In his last international, Watson then helped reduce India to 49 for three, only for Kohli to play the innings of the tournament.
Man of the Match: V. Kohli.