As Virat Kohli turns 38, the cricketing world celebrates a player who has redefined modern batting. Fondly called 'King Kohli', his reign has been built on spectacular moments of dominance. Here are five times he caused sheer carnage on the field.
133 vs Sri Lanka, Hobart (2012)
The
situation was impossible: chase 321 inside 40 overs to stay alive in the CB Series. A young Kohli walked in and turned a daunting task into a stunning spectacle. He tore into the Sri Lankan attack with breathtaking audacity, finishing with 133 not out from just 86 balls. The highlight was his complete demolition of Lasith Malinga, then the world's most feared death bowler, hitting him for 24 runs in a single over. India romped home in just 36.4 overs, a victory that announced the arrival of the 'chase master'.
183 vs Pakistan, Asia Cup (2012)
Just weeks after his Hobart heroics, Kohli faced arch-rivals Pakistan, who had posted a mammoth 329. India lost their first wicket in the very first over, bringing Kohli to the crease under immense pressure. What followed was a masterclass in pacing a chase. He built crucial partnerships, first with Sachin Tendulkar and then with Rohit Sharma, to keep India in the hunt. Kohli compiled his highest-ever ODI score of 183 from 148 balls, hitting 22 fours and a six to make the massive target look achievable. It remains one of the highest individual scores in a successful ODI run-chase against Pakistan.
82 vs Australia, Mohali (T20 World Cup 2016)
In a virtual quarter-final, India was in trouble chasing 161, needing 39 runs from the last three overs. Kohli, who had anchored the innings, decided to launch an all-out assault. He transformed a tense chase into a one-man show, running between the wickets like a man possessed and finding the boundary with surgical precision. He blasted James Faulkner and Nathan Coulter-Nile, taking 35 runs from two overs in a stunning display of calculated aggression. His unbeaten 82 off 51 balls was a masterclass in finishing a game under pressure, single-handedly carrying India into the semi-finals.
