An unbeaten 82 from Virat Kohli led India to a last-ball win over Pakistan to supercharge their bid for a first ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup crown since 2007 in front of 90,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground Sunday.
The world number one Indians restricted their fierce rivals to 159-8 and scraped home by four wickets after a remarkable final over, with superstar Kohli the hero (playing two mind-blowing shots in the 19th over).
It looked to be going badly wrong for India as they struggled to just 45-4 off 10 overs, halfway through their chase.
But Kohli and Hardik Pandya (40) launched a fightback with a century stand that left India needing 16 off the final over from a nervous Mohammad Nawaz, who peppered it with wides and no-balls to help them to their target.
In a chaotic, breathless final over, Kohli hit another six off a no-ball, then ran three after being bowled off the following free hit.
With two runs needed Dinesh Karthik was stumped down the leg side, a wide then levelled the scores and Ashwin hit the winning run off the final ball.
Here are the reactions from the whirlwind innings from Kohli:
Special win. Thank you to all our fans for turning up in numbers. 🇮🇳💙 pic.twitter.com/hAcbuYGa1H
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 23, 2022
#T20WorldCup #INDvPAK
— The Field (@thefield_in) October 24, 2022
Rohit Sharma on Virat Kohli's 82* at MCG: "It was one of India's best knocks, not just his"
📽 Star Sports pic.twitter.com/fu7a6aGqsw
The KING is back 👑
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 23, 2022
Take a bow, Virat Kohli 🙌#T20WorldCup | #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/5aCOCF6JIS
Virat, that was incredibly special my friend! The best of the best👏
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) October 23, 2022
At a loss for words… Wouldn’t have preferred anyone else with me out there @imVkohli 👑🫡 One of the best games of my life 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/jWge1qy5lj
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) October 23, 2022
There couldn’t have been a better script for tonight. He came, he saw, he conquered! King for a reason 👑👑👑👑👑 Just brilliant @imVkohli ❤️❤️❤️#INDvPAK
— Danish Sait (@DanishSait) October 23, 2022
I can hear that crowd from Hobart
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) October 23, 2022
This guy.... https://t.co/CGBzVB5AFJ
— Jemimah Rodrigues (@JemiRodrigues) October 23, 2022
Genius 👏🏼👑 what a game!
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) October 23, 2022
This, to me, was Kohli doing a Dhoni. PERFECTLY. Staying in, timing the big shots well, putting the pressure back on the opposition and taking it deep. It all worked in the end.
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) October 23, 2022
The drama, the quality, the twists and turns, the crowd, the spectacle, the finale etc. Best T20 game I’ve ever seen. And one of the greatest white ball knocks from a champion.
— Ben (@LongyWTID) October 23, 2022
Virat Kohli. Chasing targets since ‘08. 😍🔥 pic.twitter.com/SB2iuNRxHk
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) October 23, 2022
What an incredible game of cricket! @imVkohli is a genius. That straight six in the second last over 🐐😍 #INDvsPAK
— Laura Wolvaardt (@LauraWolvaardt) October 23, 2022
Etched in history 📸#T20WorldCup #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/mNS9t6NU0T
— ICC (@ICC) October 23, 2022
#T20WorldCup #INDvPAK
— Samreen (@SamreenRazz) October 23, 2022
Only one King. Bow down to your limitless art, Virat Kohli. ❤️https://t.co/Zu7CxIkgb3 pic.twitter.com/a9uwV9TdYk
Enjoy the greatness. You'll never witness a player like him again ever.
— A l V Y (@WoniWroos) October 23, 2022
Kohli : Till today, I ranked my Mohali innings higher but considering the moment, I'll put rhis innings as the highest.
— Manya (@CSKian716) October 23, 2022
❤️❤️❤️
Virat Kohli has now won most Player of the Match awards in T20Is history - 14*, going past Mohammad Nabi’s 13.#INDvPAK
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) October 23, 2022
Geeze I don’t think I can ever recall a better game of T20 cricket than what we’ve just seen at the MCG. Amazing stuff from both teams. Virat’s dig one of a kind.👏👏
— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) October 23, 2022
Rohit Sharma lifted Virat Kohli - amazing picture! pic.twitter.com/sqZ1StFaQQ
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 23, 2022
No Words to describe that finish. Incredible pic.twitter.com/wv9Xh1oeoL
— Huw Bevan (@Huw_Bevan) October 23, 2022
Incredible. All-timer of an innings and game. This one is going to be remembered for a long, long time.
— Chinmay Bhogle (@chinmaybhogle) October 23, 2022
Excellence through hard work
— Rupin Kale (@Vegansportlover) September 8, 2022
Sustenance at the top
Severe downfall
Deep-rooted doubt
Prioritisation of mental health
Followed by a comeback that made grown people cry.
Virat Kohli’s story was already inspirational for young India. It just became legendary ✨
"I've lost words" - Kohli.
— Susan Ninan (@ninansusan) October 23, 2022
So have we. pic.twitter.com/u7hw1BCnsp
😢😢😢 pic.twitter.com/ceERvXEXyZ
— Sritama (Ross Taylor’s version) (@cricketpun_duh) October 23, 2022
the level of calmness that Ashwin had to judge under THAT much pressure to judge ki ye ball wide hai >>>
— uno (@bbgathome) October 23, 2022
A match for the ages! A match that’ll go down in the history books. Well done India 🇮🇳 Well done @imVkohli 👏 pic.twitter.com/Fs5bDFe2jW
— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) October 23, 2022
Astonishing game. This was the incredible shot by @imVkohli that shifted the momentum.#genius #ICCT20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/DahLBFLMif
— simon hughes (@theanalyst) October 23, 2022
Spare a thought for any journalist who had to file ‘on the whistle’… #INDvPAK #T20WorldCup
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) October 23, 2022
Just spare a thought for whoever was doing the scorebook for that final over:
— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) October 23, 2022
X 1 2 NB6 W B3 X W 1#T20WorldCup
A classic! You win some you lose some and as we all know this game can be cruel and unfair .#TeamPakistan couldn’t have given more with bat and ball. Very proud of the effort!
— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) October 23, 2022
Ok, just walked home from the MCG. Have lost my voice, am drain from emotional roller coaster 🎢 of that match, yet so pumped. @imVkohli was unbelievable out there. Only he could have won the game for 🇮🇳 #INDvPAK #T20WorldCup
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) October 23, 2022
This guy.... https://t.co/CGBzVB5AFJ
— Jemimah Rodrigues (@JemiRodrigues) October 23, 2022
Wow!! What a game!! #IndvPak #Kohli
— Tammy Beaumont (@Tammy_Beaumont) October 23, 2022
Still not over the six that he hit to Haris down the ground on that 5th ball of the penultimate over.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) October 23, 2022
.@imVkohli, it was undoubtedly the best innings of your life. It was a treat to watch you play, the six off the back foot in the 19th over against Rauf over long on was spectacular! 😮
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 23, 2022
Keep it going. 👍 #INDvPAK #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/FakWPrStMg
Congratulation #India on a spectacular win today at the MCG! And well-played @imVkohli , one of the best T20 innings I have ever seen, take a bow champ! 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 @BCCI pic.twitter.com/rvSm0Q6h0Z
— Jhulan Goswami (@JhulanG10) October 23, 2022
5 - @imVkohli now has five 50+ scores in men’s T20I against Pakistan, the joint most against the Men in Green along with Kane Williamson; only against Australia does he have more such scores in the format (8). Legend.#ICCT20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/xRag2TxVNn
— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) October 23, 2022
Virat Kohli has now.....
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) October 23, 2022
Most runs in T20Is (3794)
Most runs in T20 WC for India (927)
Most player of the match awards in T20Is (14)
Most player of the match awards in T20 WC (6)#Goat#ViratKohli #INDvsPAK2022 #INDvPAK #T20WC2022
I have seen Virat for so many years. I have never seen a tear in his eyes. I saw it today. This was unforgettable
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 23, 2022
You have no words?!
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) October 23, 2022
Imagine how we feel Virat...😅😂#BBCCricket #T20WorldCup #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/q46M089BMm
Virat Kohli... 82* in 53 balls!
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) October 23, 2022
50* in 43 balls, 4 fours, 1 six
32* in 10 balls, 2 fours, 3 sixes#T20worldcup22 #T20WC2022 #INDvPAK #PAKvIND