How has Virat Kohli fared against Pakistan in T20Is?
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli will next feature at the 2022 Asia Cup, starting August 27. He will be seen in action as India lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday. Although Kohli has been short of runs lately, Pakistan would be wary of him. His record against them in the shortest format is exceptional. Here, we decode the same.
India's leading run-scorer against Pakistan
Kohli is India's leading run-scorer against Pakistan in T20I cricket. He has racked up 311 runs from seven T20Is at an incredible average of 77.75 and a strike rate of 118.25. The tally includes three half-centuries. Kohli has returned unbeaten on three occasions. His best score of 78* against Pakistan came during the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup.
His numbers at T20 WC
Kohli also has the most runs against Pakistan in T20 World Cups. He leads the tally with 226 runs from four matches. Kohli has registered fifties in three of these games. He has an average of 226 as he returned unbeaten in three matches. His scores read as 57 (2021), 55* (2016), 36* (2014), and 78* (2012).
How has Kohli performed at Asia Cup?
Kohli has featured in three 50-over Asia Cup matches against Pakistan. He has slammed 206 runs at an astonishing average of 68.66 in these matches. His highest ODI score of 183 came in the 2012 Asia Cup match against Pakistan. Meanwhile, Kohli scored a match-winning 49 in his only innings against Pakistan in the 20-over Asia Cup edition (2016).
The previous IND-PAK encounter
In 2021, India suffered their first-ever defeat to Pakistan in World Cups. Pakistan won the T20 World Cup group fixture by 10 wickets, the first side to defeat India by this margin in the tournament. Kohli was the lone warrior for India in the match, having scored 57 off 49 balls. India managed just 151/7 (20 overs), a total Pakistan chased comfortably.
Will Kohli break the shackles this time?
The narrative of Virat Kohli's lean patch continues to grow. Last week, the former Indian captain completed 1,000 days without scoring a ton. Kohli, known as the Run Machine, last slammed an international century in November 2019 during the Eden Gardens Test against Bangladesh. Since then, Kohli has scored 2,554 runs from 68 internationals at an average of 35.47, deemed ordinary by his standards.
Virat Kohli nears his 100th T20I appearance
Kohli is set to appear in his 100th T20 International. He will achieve this milestone in the Asia Cup. Kohli would become just the second cricketer to play 100 matches in each of the three formats. Former New Zealand batter Ross Taylor remains the only player with this record. Kohli is one of the few batters who excelled in all three formats simultaneously.
