A solid 59-ball 76 from star batter Virat Kohli helped India reach a competitive 176 for 7 in the high-pressure T20 World Cup final in Barbados last week. After India chose to bat, the South African bowlers performed well early on, reducing Rohit Sharma's team to three wickets down within the powerplay. However, Kohli remained steadfast at the crease, playing the anchor role perfectly. Playing an important knock for his side also got him the man of the match award in the final which according to former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, wasn't well-deserved.
Sanjay Manjrekar Feels Bowlers Saved Virat Kohli
Kohli first stabilized India's innings with a 72-run partnership with Axar Patel and then pushed the score forward in the second half with support from Shivam Dube and others, ultimately achieving a strong total.
However, former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar believes Kohli's innings was too slow and could have put India in a difficult position. Reigniting the debate about Kohli's strike rate that troubled him during the IPL, Manjrekar said Kohli's conservative approach didn't give Hardik Pandya enough time in the middle.