Virat Kohli Leads India to Emphatic Win Over South Africa: Indian Captain Equals Former Pakistan All-Rounder Shahid Afridi’s Feat with Another Man of the Match Performance

Virat Kohli smashed records on his way of becoming the highest run-scorer in Twenty20 Internationals. The Indian captain, who slammed his 22nd half-century – also the highest in T20Is – to guide India to an emphatic victory, was awarded the Player of the Match for his superlative knock of 72 runs from just 52 deliveries. It was Kohli’s 11th Man of the Match award and took him on level with former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who also has the same number of awards in the shortest format of the game. Shahid Afridi Calls Virat Kohli a ‘Great Player’ After Indian Batsman Becomes The Highest Run-Scorer in T20Is.

Kohli, who hit three sixes and four fours during his 52-ball stay at the crease, was also involved in a 60-plus stand with Shikhar Dhawan (40) and an unbeaten 47-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer to help India beat South Africa by seven wickets and an over to spare in the second Twenty20 game in Mohali. The 30-year-old is now joint second with Afridi for most MoM awards in T20I cricket. Veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi leads the MoM chart in T20Is with 12 awards to his name.

Shahid Afridi Congratulates Virat Kohli

In a record-breaking night, Kohli also overtook compatriot and deputy Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in T20 internationals. The Indian skipper now has 2441 run from 66 innings, which is over 20 innings less than Rohit, who scored 2434 runs in 89 innings. The Indian opening batsman, who was celebrating his 12th anniversary as a T20 International player, was dismissed for run-a-ball 12 against South Africa.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 19, 2019 05:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).