Virat Kohli Into The Record Books After His Fiery 76 vs South Africa

As Rohit Sharma noted, Virat Kohli saved his best performance for the T20 World Cup final. When India's top-order faltered against South Africa, Kohli rose to the occasion and scored his first fifty of the tournament. He reached his half-century in 48 balls at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

VIRAT KOHLI REGISTERED THE HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORE FOR INDIA IN A T20 WORLD CUP FINAL. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/lWool3ZwTn

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 29, 2024

Virat Kohli Registers Highest Ever Score For India In T20 WC Final

Despite the slow start, Kohli's steady presence was key to India setting a competitive total, as he anchored one end and prevented South Africa from dominating.

Kohli's fiery 76 was the highest individual score for India in a T20 World Cup final which eventually got India 176 runs on the board, the highest total in a T20 World Cup final.

Innings Break! #TeamIndia post 1⃣7⃣6⃣/7⃣ on the board.

7⃣6⃣ for @imVkohli
4⃣7⃣ for @akshar2026
2⃣7⃣ for @IamShivamDube

Over to our bowlers now! 👍 👍

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/c2CcFqY7Pa#T20WorldCup | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/Xf3aNtgAJO

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 29, 2024

In the final, Kohli played the role of an accumulator rather than an aggressor. He had faced criticism for playing outside his usual style and losing his wicket recklessly. In the semi-final, for example, he hit a six off England fast bowler Reece Topley in the first over but was dismissed in the same over trying to hit another big shot. On the final day, however, Kohli reverted to his classical approach, selecting his shots based on the quality of the delivery. He started with three boundaries in the first over: a cover drive, a straight drive, and a flick to deep fine-leg.

Virat Kohli Equals Babar Azam's T20I Record

Virat Kohli achieved his 39th fifty-plus score, tying the record for the most fifty-plus scores in men's T20I cricket history.

1. Babar Azam - 39 fifty-plus scores in 123 matches
2. Virat Kohli - 39 in 126 matches
3. Rohit Sharma - 37 in 159 matches
4. Mohammad Rizwan - 30 in 102 matches
5. David Warner - 29 in 110 matches

Kohli reached his fifty in 48 balls but picked up the pace significantly afterward. He ended his innings with 76 off 59 balls, scoring his final 26 runs in just 11 balls. After going 37 balls without a boundary, he showcased his ability to accelerate in the latter part of his innings.

Also Read: IND vs SA Final: Virat Kohli Guides India To 176/7 Against The Proteas In Barbados