It was a dream start for me – Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has been one of the leading run-scorers in the ongoing World Cup with a century and a couple of half-centuries that has seen him define the narrative for the Men in Blue.

He bagged another Player of the Match award for his extraordinary century against Bangladesh where he stayed unbeaten to steer the Indian ship across the finish line comfortably. Talking at the post-match presentation, Kohli opened up on the entire knock and also highlighted the sudden twists and turns that came alongside a heart-stopping sequence in the end.

About the award, Virat Kohli said, “Sorry for stealing it (PoTM award) from Jaddu, I wanted to make a big contribution. I have had a few fifties in World Cups, haven't really converted them. I just wanted to finish the game off this time around and hang on till the end which is what I have done over the years for the team.”

He further added about his initial discussion with Shubman Gill at the start of the innings when he rocked a couple of boundaries early on, stating, “I was telling Shubman, even if you dream about a situation like that, you'll just go back to sleep, you won't think it's real. It was a dream start for me, first four balls, two free-hits, a six and a four. Just calms you down, gets you into the innings.”

Describing the surface and the conditions surrounding him which included a heaving, swirling mass of Indian fans cheering for him, Virat said, “The pitch was pretty good and it allowed me to play my game - just time the ball, hit the gaps, run hard and get the boundaries whenever needed. There's a great atmosphere in the change room, we are loving each others' company, the spirit is there for everyone to see on the field. That's why it's translating like that on the field.”

He concluded by talking about the entirety of the World Cup, stating, “We understand it's a long tournament, you need to create some momentum in the change room for the guys to come out and play like this. It's a special feeling playing at home, playing in front of all these people, we just want to make the most of it.”