Virat Kohli Answers His Critics With a Message on ‘Outside Noise’ After Sizzling Century In Dubai. (Screengrab)
Photo : Twitter
Virat Kohli delivered a masterclass in Dubai with his 51st ODI hundred as India beat Pakistan by six wickets in a one-sided Champions Trophy clash on Sunday. With this win, India also sealed their spot in the semi-finals.
Chasing a target of 241, India completed the chase in 42.3 overs thanks to Virat Kohli's masterful innings of 100 not out off 111 balls. He was ably supported by Shubman Gill (46 off 52) and Shreyas Iyer (56 off 67).
In fact, it was Kohli who hit a boundary to bring up his century and beat Pakistan, making it a cinematic ending as he redeemed his glory in the final scene.
After the match, he even looked at the camera and said, "I told you, I'm here", before signing off with a wink. Kohli was fittingly adjudged as the Player of the match.
"It feels to be good to bat in that manner in an important game, where a spot for semis was there to be taken after Rohit fell," Kohli said after his innings.
He explained his approach to the chase: "My job was clear - to control the middle overs, not take risks against spinners and take on pacers. I was happy with the template, it's how I play in ODIs. I have a decent understanding of my game. It's about keeping the outside noise away and taking care of my energy levels and thoughts. It's easy for me to get pulled into expectations and frenzy around games like these. "
Kohli also emphasised his commitment to fielding.
"I kept telling myself I'll give my 100% while fielding. It's why I take pride in it. When you put your head down and go about your work, things work out. Clarity is important; when there is pace on the ball, you have to get scoring. Shubman and Shreyas have been excellent. Everyone's got a decent knock in these conditions, that'll augur well in the coming matches."
Looking ahead, Kohli acknowledged the physical demands of the game. "At 36, a week off is very good. It takes a lot out of me to put in that much effort," he concluded.
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