India’s veteran batter Virat Kohli has completed 17 years in international cricket. The 36-year-old made his debut for India on this day (August 18) in 2008, against Sri Lanka in an ODI match.

Kohli has not looked back since then, setting many records across all formats. After 17 amazing years, he now plays only in the 50-over format. From a humble start to becoming one of the greatest batters in cricket history, Kohli’s career has been full of brilliant moments, heartbreaks, triumphs, and growth. With nearly 28,000 runs and a legacy beyond numbers, his story is one of constant hard work and excellence.

To honour his decorated career, we look back at his majestic half-century in a crucial 2022 T20 World Cup match against Pakistan. In that match, the legendary batter made a brilliant comeback and added another memorable chapter to this famous rivalry.

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Revisiting The India vs Pakistan, 23rd October 2022 Matchday

The morning of the India vs Pakistan match was tense for players and fans. On 23rd October 2022, news channels and social media were full of updates. At the toss, Rohit Sharma chose to field first at the MCG. After the national anthems, the Indian bowlers started strongly. Arshdeep Singh dismissed Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the first four overs.

Pakistan’s Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood formed a strong partnership, and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s late hits helped Pakistan reach 159 runs for 8 wickets. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya took 3 wickets each to keep the total under control.

Scorecard Highlights – 1st Innings

Batsmen:

1. Shan Masood – 52 runs (42 balls, SR 123.8)
2. Iftikhar Ahmed – 51 runs (34 balls, SR 150.0)
3. Shaheen Shah Afridi – 16 runs (8 balls, SR 200.0)

Bowlers:

• Hardik Pandya – 4 overs, 30 runs, 3 wickets
• Arshdeep Singh – 4 overs, 32 runs, 3 wickets

India’s Rocky Start

India’s batting looked strong but faced a tough challenge. Early wickets by Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf left India at 31-4 in 6 overs, with Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli at the crease. Fans grew quiet as the win predictor showed only a 15% chance. Commentators backed Kohli, saying, “Don’t write India off; Virat Kohli is still there.”

Kohli’s Masterclass

Kohli and Pandya rebuilt the innings. In the 18th over, Kohli hit 3 boundaries and scored 17 runs off Shaheen Shah Afridi. In the 19th over, with 31 needed from 12 balls, Kohli hit a straight six over Haris Rauf’s head, called “The Greatest Shot Ever,” and followed with another boundary to bring India back.

Final Over Drama

In the last over, India needed 16 runs. Mohammad Nawaz dismissed Hardik Pandya on the first ball. A no-ball and a wide gave India extra runs. Dinesh Karthik was stumped on the 5th ball, leaving India 2 runs from 1 ball. R Ashwin cleverly ran for a wide and scored the winning single on the last ball, giving India a thrilling win.

Scorecard Highlights – 2nd Innings

Batsmen:

• Virat Kohli – 82* (53 balls, SR 154.7)
• Hardik Pandya – 40 (37 balls, SR 108.1)
• Suryakumar Yadav – 15 (10 balls, SR 150.0)

Bowlers:

1. Haris Rauf – 4 overs, 36 runs, 2 wickets
2. Mohammad Nawaz – 4 overs, 42 runs, 2 wickets

Virat Kohli gave the nation a memorable win against Pakistan the day before Diwali. His 82* became an iconic innings played under immense pressure. Despite criticism and a rough patch in his captaincy, Kohli once again led India to victory and proved to be the team’s savior.