‘It seemed impossible’ – Kohli stunned after ‘one of his best innings’

An emotional Virat Kohli said he was “lost for words” after playing a match-winning innings against Pakistan that his skipper Rohit Sharma feels is one of his best in an India shirt.

Kohli’s 82 not out from 53 balls lifted India to an astonishing final-ball victory over Pakistan at a packed-out MCG, with his side recovering from 31-4 to complete a chase of 160.

Kohli shared a stand of 113 from 78 balls with Hardik Pandya (40no off 37) for the fifth wicket, and his three fours off Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 18th over, two sixes off Haris Rauf in the penultimate over and maximum off Mohammad Nawaz in the last proved critical with India having initially needed 48 runs from the final 18 deliveries.

Kohli said: “It’s a surreal atmosphere. I honestly have no words. I have no idea how that happened. I’m lost for words.

“Hardik kept telling me, ‘just believe we can do it, can stay until the end’. Standing here I just feel like it was meant to be, it’s a very, very special moment.”