Asia Cup, India vs Afghanistan Highlights: Virat Kohli’s first international century in almost 3 years lights up dead-rubber victory over Afghanistan | Cricket News – Times of India

DUBAI: After 1020 days of agony, worry and scrutiny, Virat Kohli He scored an international century on Thursday night. The wait for his 71st international century came to an end when he caught Afghanistan’s Fareed Ahmed at mid-wicket boundary and completed his maiden T20I century off just 53 balls.
As he took off his helmet, raised his bat to the throngs of the stadium and kissed his wedding ring in his necklace, Kohli’s gentle smile cried out the relief he must have felt. Perhaps, he would have least expected to complete his 71st century in the shortest format, opening the innings with the regular captain. Rohit Sharma Option to rest in an irrelevant match.
as it happened
Only as a special event could it generate some interest in the match. His knock of 122 not out off 61 balls (with 12 fours and six sixes), which contained a flaw when he was dropped for 28 at deep mid-wicket by Ibrahim Zadran off captain Mohammad Nabi, helped India to 212/ Helped to make a huge score of 2. ,

The match after Kohli’s knock soon turned into a drag post Bhuvneshwar Kumar Wiped out Afghanistan’s top order, taking 5/4 in their four overs. And the hard work ended in the last over of India’s campaign here by Dinesh Karthik Asia Cup As India finished with a 101 run win, Afghanistan scored 111/8.

For someone with great affinity for opportunities, Kohli would have loved the moment that came in a match of greater importance. Considering how unfavorable things have been for him over the past year, he will accept every good news that comes his way. Kohli arrived in Dubai with a question mark about his place in the T20 team here. He went a short distance as India’s highest scorer.

This was India’s final outing in the tournament. Hardik Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal were rested along with Rohit. For the most part of India’s innings, both the teams seemed to be going through the paces. Tired of the emotionally charged humping he played against Pakistan in Sharjah the night before, the Afghanistan bowlers clearly looked tired and were pushing themselves to make a similar performance.
Kohli and Rahul, who entered the tournament craving for game time, were not to be missed. A quiet start in the first four overs of the Powerplay may have indicated India’s struggle at the top of the innings, but both knew they had to make it count.
He faced Nabi and Rashid Khan to pace the innings. The footwork seemed nimble when he came with a clear mind. Maybe the pressure of the big match was not there. Still, it was his chance to move things along.
As soon as Kohli began to find the fence with ease, Rahul swung into action and started dismissing him before he was dismissed for 62 off 41 balls, which featured six fours and two sixes.
Kohli was always cruising through the innings. But he took it to another level after the 15th over, while Rishabh Pant was struggling for time. Kohli worked hard between the wickets and hogged the strike in the last five overs as he smashed 87 off 42 balls for the third wicket and Pant made just 20 off 16 balls.
He left the track for Rashid Khan, effortless punches through cover, glides near short third-man and swats through mid-wicket said he was again batting in auto-mode. Fazlhaq Farooqui and Farid Ahmed, two daring left-arm pacers from Afghanistan, found what was bowling against the gold standard batting.
Like the knock against Pakistan last Sunday, this innings too had Kohli’s trademark. As he has done throughout his career, Kohli demonstrated that a T20I innings can be sufficiently paced by playing orthodox textbook shots and not the modern-day funky shots. If India sees any positivity in coming out of the tournament, it will be Kohli showing that he is batting at his best.