On this day: Virat Kohli pulled off a wonder for the ages at the MCG in the India vs Pakistan clash

As Virat Kohli took on Pakistan at the MCG, the modern-day Indian legend produced a knock that would define his legacy as ‘the chase master’ for generations to come. Three years ago, during the 2022 T20 World Cup, the India vs Pakistan rivalry was not as lopsided as it appears now. The ghosts of the 10-wicket defeat in the 2021 T20 World Cup still haunted the Men in Blue as they arrived in Melbourne, determined to rectify the result in the 2022 edition of the marquee tournament. Pakistan looked poised to repeat their triumph, but Kohli stood firm between the then-favorites and another bitter outcome for his team.

When Virat Kohli redefined his legacy as 'The Chase Master' in the India vs Pakistan clash of the 2022 T20 World Cup

When the moment demanded greatness, one man rose to meet it, Virat Kohli. In the dying moments of a nerve-shredding T20 World Cup contest against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, every possible twist unfolded, but Kohli ensured that the last of it played in India's favor. With India facing what looked like an unthinkable chase, Kohli didn’t merely bat, he transcended the occasion. Each stroke he played carried the heartbeat of a billion fans, turning anxiety into awe.

Three years ago on this day, under the bright lights of a jam-packed MCG, chaos threatened to consume the India vs Pakistan match. Yet, amid that turmoil, Kohli was serenity itself. He orchestrated a chase that seemed beyond reason, crafting a spectacle that felt almost divine. Before a sea of 90,000 spectators, his unbeaten 82 off 53 balls turned despair into amazement, transforming what appeared lost into one of the sport’s most unforgettable triumphs.

Pakistan had earlier posted 159/8 in the 2022 T20 World Cup clash, thanks to half-centuries from Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed. India’s bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya with three wickets apiece, did their best to contain them, yet the chase began disastrously. The early dismissals of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav left India wobbling at 31 for 4 inside the powerplay.

The tension thickened as Pakistan’s pace attack, spearheaded by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, looked poised to recreate their emphatic 10-wicket win from the previous World Cup edition. But Kohli, with Hardik Pandya for company, dug deep. The pair rebuilt brick by brick, forging a crucial 113-run stand for the fifth wicket. Even as the required rate soared, Kohli’s unflinching calm and sheer control ensured India’s hopes flickered on.

With 48 needed off the last three overs, the equation looked nearly impossible. Yet Kohli switched gears, taking Shaheen Afridi apart with three exquisitely timed boundaries in the 18th over. Still, when Rauf allowed only three runs off his first four balls in the penultimate over, Pakistan seemed to have the game sealed.

Then came magic, the kind only Kohli can conjure. Off Rauf’s final two deliveries, he struck back-to-back sixes that defied logic and physics alike, one a soaring straight hit down the ground, the other a flick over fine leg that left both the bowler and the crowd speechless. "Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground," said by Harsha Bhogle in the commentary at the first hit is now one of the most celebrated phrases in the cricket archives.

India still needed 16 from the last over. Mohammad Nawaz, handed the ball for the most pressure-laden task of his career, dismissed Pandya first ball, bringing Ravi Ashwin to the middle. What followed was chaos, a no-ball six, frantic running off a free hit, wides, and nerves stretched to their limit. Finally, with two runs required from the final delivery, Ashwin lofted Nawaz over mid-off to seal one of India’s most breathtaking wins.

Kohli’s unbeaten 82 in the India vs Pakistan clash at the MCG was more than just a masterclass, it was a moment of destiny. His innings, marked by courage, precision, and emotion, is now immortal, celebrated among the greatest knocks ever witnessed on a cricket field.