Veteran batsman Virat Kohli's knock of 76 runs in 59 balls during the T20 World Cup final against South Africa sparked debate among fans, with some calling it a "slow" innings. Kohli began aggressively, scoring boundaries early on. However, after India lost three quick wickets in the powerplay, his innings slowed down considerably. He reached his fifty in 48 balls, his slowest in international cricket. While he accelerated later in the innings, some fans felt he took too many deliveries in the middle overs, putting pressure on his partner Axar Patel.
India started strongly, scoring 15 runs in the first over with Kohli leading the charge. However, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant fell in quick succession, followed by Suryakumar Yadav's dismissal by Kagiso Rabada. With India at 34-3, a collapse seemed imminent. Kohli then steadied the innings with a 72-run partnership alongside Axar Patel (47). Shivam Dube also chipped in with a valuable 27 runs from 16 balls. South Africa's bowling attack was led by Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje, who claimed two wickets each.
Brief Scores:India 176/7 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 76, Axar Patel 47; Keshav Maharaj 2/23) vs South Africa.
Despite Kohli's crucial knock, opinions on social media were mixed. Some praised his steady role in a tense situation, while others believed his scoring rate could have been better.
Here's how netizens reacted: