India were considered the firm favourites in the run up to the ICC World Cup 2019 and even during the team’s journey in the tournament, they emerged as formidable opponents who could cruise through all rivals with ease. However, the journey came to a sad end when New Zealand knocked India out of the World Cup in the semi-final match at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Team India’s top order batsmen – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli – who had played some extraordinary innings during the group stage matches, failed to perform when it mattered the most. The Black Caps decimated the Men in Blue in a rain-hit match to enter the final of ICC World Cup 2019.
A worrying trend that emerged out of India’s batting was the innings of captain Kohli, who was declared leg before wicket off Trent Boult after scoring just one run off six balls. It was for the third consecutive time that Kohli failed to perform in the semi-finals of World Cup tournaments.
Having featured in three world cup semis, Kohli, who is often brilliant with his bat, scored a maximum of just nine runs in the match against Pakistan in Mohali in 2011. In the other two semi-finals – 2015 and 2019 – Kohli scored just one run each against Australia and New Zealand.
In the quarter final match against Australia in Ahmedabad in 2011, Kohli had scored just 24 runs, playing 33 balls. However, the Men in Blue sailed through and even lifted the trophy in the finale. However, even in the final match against Sri Lanka, Kohli could score just 35 runs off 49 balls.
In the 2015 edition of ICC World Cup, when India met Bangladesh in the quarter-final (knockout), Kohli played eight balls and scored just three runs.
Kohli has played six World Cup knockout matches so far and has scored a total of 73 runs in them. His batting average in these matches is 12.16 and strike rate 56.15.
However, the firebrand cricketer has performed better in Champions Trophy knockout matches, barring the 2017 final against Pakistan, where he could score just five runs. In the semi-final of the tournament against Bangladesh, he had scored an unbeaten 96 on 78 balls. In the knockout matches of 2013 edition of the Champions Trophy as well, Kohli had played well, scoring 58 and 43 against Sri Lanka (semi-final) and England (final), respectively.
Kohli’s best performance in the knockout stages comes in the shortest format of the game – Twenty20. In the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup semi-final, he had scored 89 on just 47 balls. In the 2014 edition, he scored unbeatable 72 against South Africa in semi-final and 77 against Sri Lanka in the final.
