Virat Kohli, often called ‘King Kohli’ by his supporters, has had a remarkable career filled with countless crucial performances for the Indian cricket team across all formats. He has a knack for making the tough moments in games look a little easier, which is why many fans refer to him as the ‘chase master.’ One of those memorable moments occurred on March 27 in 2016, during the World T20 tournament in India when he played a fantastic innings, scoring 82 runs off just 51 balls. This effort helped India get past Australia and into the next stage of the tournament.
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That day, India was up against Australia in a Super 10 match at the Mohali stadium. After winning the toss, Australia decided to bat first, putting up a solid total of 160 runs for the loss of six wickets. They achieved that score thanks to a solid partnership between Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch, with Finch being the top scorer for his team at 43 runs. On the Indian side, Hardik Pandya did well with the ball, picking up two wickets, while Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Yuvraj Singh took one wicket each.
When it was India’s turn to bat and chase down that target of 161 runs, things didn’t go according to plan at first. They lost both openers, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, pretty quickly, which left the team struggling at just 37 runs. But this is where Virat Kohli stepped up again, showcasing his remarkable ability to handle pressure. He scored an unbeaten 82 runs, hitting nine fours and two sixes along the way. His innings guided India to a solid victory with six wickets in hand and five balls to spare. For this outstanding performance, he was named Player of the Match.
#OnThisDay in 2016, Virat Kohli did this 👇 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rc5dxTDSjp
— ICC (@ICC) March 27, 2020
Kohli had a phenomenal run throughout the World T20 that year, accumulating 273 runs in five matches with an impressive average of 136.50. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament and even took home the Player of the Tournament award. Unfortunately, India couldn’t advance past the semi-final stage when they faced West Indies, who later won the trophy after defeating England in the final.
Fast forward to last year, Kohli decided to retire from the T20 format after a significant win against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final held in Barbados. Over his career, he has played 125 T20 matches, racking up 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and maintaining a strike rate of 137.04. Just recently, Team India also celebrated securing the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, adding another accolade to Kohli’s legacy. His journey in cricket continues to inspire many, and his achievements remain a big part of cricket history.
