2017 ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Virat Kohli Urges India to Build On Pakistan Rout
Nov 2, 2023 at 3:45 PM
India made a memorable start to the tournament, as the defending champions crushed arch-rivals Pakistan by 124 runs in Birmingham on Sunday. After India piled up 319 for three in 48 overs, they turned the screw on Pakistan, dismissing them for 164, as they failed to chase down a rain-reduced target of 289.
India showcased great energy in all the departments of the game. Virat Kohli has urged India to produce a repeat performance of their Pakistan demolition when they face Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Be it Yuvraj Singh’s innings or Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 81, the opening century stand and also the bowling – everything was up to the mark. A repeat of that batting blitz against Sri Lanka at The Oval would send India to the semi-finals and Kohli expects Yuvraj to lead the charge again.
“After I got to 50, I wasn’t able to freely play. And Yuvraj came in and just took all the pressure off me,” he said. The way he batted was the way only he can strike the ball.I think that really deflated the opposition. His innings was a difference in the game.”
Kohli hopes the confidence boost from such a win will help India secure another victory in their second Group B match.
“Every game in this tournament is big, but we have a side with a few youngsters coming in and gradually getting towards strengthening their careers for India,” he said. So I think from that, from the team’s point of view, it’s a massive win for us. Just the way we played and the confidence we showed throughout the game was something that was very pleasing to see as a captain. Even though we lost the toss, guys were raring and ready to go, willing to take up the pressure.”
“That gave all of us the confidence to start striking the ball well, but initially the openers gave us a good start as well. As I said, it’s a clinical performance from us, from the team’s point of view, yes, it is indeed a very big win,” Kohli added.
Kohli, with 81 not out off 68 balls, and Yuvraj Singh, being named the man-of-the-match for a rapid 53, both battered the Pakistan attack after Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan laid the platform for a big total with an opening stand of 136.
Beaten by 96 runs by South Africa, there is no margin of error for Sri Lanka, as they try to avoid elimination. Adding insult to injury, Sri Lanka were later found guilty of a slow over-rate offence by the ICC, with their stand-in captain Upul Tharanga banned for their next two matches, and players fined.
Angelo Mathews is set to resume captaincy duties after returning to fitness from the calf muscle injury that ruled him out of the South Africa match.