Some nights in cricket go far beyond just scorecards and databases. They transcend numbers and are kept in the hearts of fans. They are the ones that make their way into the tales. They are the ones which are forever talked about. One such moment occurred at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.
It was March 27, 2016, quite an important one for the fans. India was facing the mighty Aussies in the Quarter Final of the T20 WC. The match was not the finals, but the pressure was nearly suffocating. The stakes were high, the opponents looked strong and India was soon on the brink of collapse.
And then, walked Virat Kohli. Calm. Composed. Determined.
This wasn’t just a cricket match but a tale of resilience, of carrying the weight of expectations of over a billion people, of delivering when the Indian batting order was crumbling under pressure, of the hopes of fans who believe in cricket like a religion. Kohli’s unbeaten 82 off 51 balls wasn’t just an innings, it was a masterclass in chasing. An innings that would be etched forever in history.
The Backdrop
The ICC T20 World Cup 2016 had already been thrilling. India and Australia, both after a shocking defeat to New Zealand in the tournament, had bounced back after defeating Pakistan and Bangladesh. But qualifications were not yet met. The last requirement for India was simple: either beat Australia or go home. The Aussies, too, were in a must-win scenario for the qualification in the semis. Though officially It was just another group match, it became a knochout between two supergiants of the game, both looking hungry for a win.
Virat Kohli’s form was the talk of the town, but there were questions on how the Indian middle order fares under pressure, as Mohali is traditionally faster and bouncier than other Indian venues, and would help the already lethal Australian pace lineup. There were also doubts regarding Australia’s capabilities against the host’s spin bowling. It might be just a cricket match, but it felt like a battle between two powerhouses. One was India under the captaincy of calm MS Dhoni, and the other was Australia led by the young leader Steven Smith .
The clash was imminent. The atmosphere in Mohali was tense. It was a hot, sunny day with the Indian crowd filling the stands. Australia came in with its aggressive mindset. With a strong Australian side setting a target of 161 runs (160/6), the pitch offered grip for the slower balls, but also value for shots. The kind of surface that demanded class and elegance, not chaos and recklessness.
A Good Target
Australia began the match aggressively. Usman Khawaja took the Indian new-ball attack apart. Making 26 off just 16 balls, racing away to 50 inside the first five overs with Aaron Finch. Australia took a dominant position by the end of the 4th over. But then, India’s bowling struck back. The spinner duo Ashwin and Jadeja, combined with the pace of Bumrah and Nehra, managed to keep chipping away at the wickets. They struck down Australian batters at constant intervals, stopping them from a big total.
Still, 160 looked competitive. It was a target that required a balanced, composed chase from the Indian side. As the Australian bowling line up won’t let India get an easy win, and India’s batting hadn’t been very convincing in the lead up. The concern was real.
A Troubled Start
India began the chase with tension and mountains of pressure. Australia took the first wicket in the 4th over itself, Shikhar Dhawan got caught. Soon, Rohit Sharma was bowled by Shane Watson within the powerplay. Suresh Raina also got out. India’s situation looked dire. The roar of the home crowd quickly turned into anxious murmurs. The top order collapsed against the fiery pace attack of Australia; Starc, Hazlewood, and Coulter-Nile. Within a blink, India was 49/3 in the 8th over.
The happiness of not letting Aussies build a big total took a 180 degree turn within just 8 overs for the Indian fans. The body language of the fans mirrored the situation on the field. I remember sitting on the edge of my bed as a 10 year old, glued to the television, already imagining the heartbreak of an early World Cup exit, disheartened. The ground was silent, The chants faded, and doubt crept in. Cricketing minds questioned, “Can India even win from here?”
Then came on the crease the Run machine, Virat Kohli, totally calm and composed.
The Run Machine
Kohli was already in red-hot form in the tournament, turning milestones into achievements. He had scored 55* against Pakistan in a pressure game and carried India through in Dhaka against Bangladesh. Also, ranked No.1 in T20Is and ODIs at the time, his consistency was unbelievable. In the T20 World Cups, his average and strike rate were above the roof. He had looked perfect in this tournament, a batsman with absolute class, timing and technique.
Still, this was different. This was the big match. Australia. World Cup. Knockout. 160 to chase. India was under tremendous pressure, with stillness in the usually restless crowd. A do or die match. This was survival.
He came in with a sense of calm. He didn’t try to dominate from the first ball. He respected the Australian bowlers. He looked for quick singles. And with his quick running between the wickets, He turned ones into twos, twos into threes. He kept rotating the strike and didn’t let the run rate get out of hand. And after settling on the crease, he switched gears as the time required.
Virat Kohli is often called the Chase Master. His innings had a blend of elegance with aggression, he constantly picked gaps with precision. He built partnerships first with Yuvraj Singh, and then with MS Dhoni. Though the required run rate climbed but the presence of Virat Kohli eased the hearts of anxious fans.
With Yuvraj struggling with an ankle injury, Kohli took control and stabilised the innings when it was breaking down. He ensured the scoreboard didn’t stagnate. When Dhoni walked in, India still needed over 60 runs in less than 6 overs. The run rate requirement was pressing. The pressure on the hosts was immense. Australia brought back the pace attack.
But then came those final overs, India needed. Kohli accelerated, and the boundaries began to flow. Momentum began to shift in India’s favour.
The Momentum
At the end of the 17th over , the required run rate for India reached 13. With 39 runs needed in the next 18 balls,India was under pressure. James Faulkner came to bowl the 18th over and Virat Kohli was on the strike. Kohli played a stunning pull for a four, this over gave 19 runs including another 4 and a 6 on next two deliveries. He played with so ease and elegance, it felt like watching a symphony in motion. Each stroke timed to perfection.
Next over, Coulter-Nile faced the heat. What followed was a vintage Kohli , A cover drive with precision. Then a whip over mid-on. Then another glorious straight drive, straight out of a book. Three back to back boundaries. It was as if Kohli was a puppeteer and bowl was his puppet, dancing on his will. In the final overs, Kohli scored 32 off just 11 balls.
In a game that appeared to be slipping away, when the odds were against India, the chase looked lost at one point. But Virat Kohli snatched the victory from Australia and turned the match around. It was not power hitting. It was artistry with precision, timing, placement, elegance, and brute mental strength combined into one.
The Winning Moment
India needed 4 runs off 6 balls. MS Dhoni, the finisher, was on strike. But that night, even he stood second to the genius at the other end. A boundary on the first ball of the over for India sealed a six-wicket win with 5 balls to spare.
Kohli sank to his knees, looked to the skies, and then punched the air. He wasn’t smiling , he wasn’t celebrating because he knew this wasn’t an ordinary feat. This innings was legendary in itself. It wasn’t just relief, it was the realisation of a promise made to millions. That knock took India to the semi-finals and gave the fans a memory to carry forever. It was a game where both the teams played their hearts out but it was the one man who made the difference, Virat Kohli.
Legacy of the Knock
Kohli made 82* off 51 balls. He hit 9 fours and 2 sixes. His strike rate was a remarkable 160+. Two long stands of 45 with Yuvraj and 67 with Dhoni. But numbers can’t define what we witnessed that day in Mohali. This knock wasn’t just great because of its aesthetics or the statistics. It was great because of the background. It was in a virtual knockout against the mighty Kangaroos. In front of a tense home crowd. With the T20 World Cup trophy after 2007 hanging in balance. And yet, he made it look effortless.
This innings became one of all-time great T20I knocks. Perhaps only his own 82* against the arch rivals Pakistan at the MCG in 2022 can challenge it another high-pressure chasing masterclass. Coincidentally, both had few similarities, India were in trouble, Kohli stood tall, and finished unbeaten on 82. A match winning knock when India needed the most.
Virat Kohli’s numbers in T20 World Cups are phenomenal. Till the 2022 edition, he was averaging 80+ in T20 World Cups, with multiple fifties and match-winning knocks, he was also the highest run scorer in the tournament history. No other batsman had consistently performed under pressure on the big stage like him. While others like AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, and David Warner dazzled, Kohli’s consistency and ability in tough situations set him apart. He has been in his own league in the T20 world cups. This 82* against Australia remains one of the highest impact knocks in tournament history, because it changed the direction of the World Cup for India.
While India celebrated, the match also marked the end of an era for Australia. Shane Watson, one of their finest all-rounders, played his final international match that night. The contrast was amazing , a young star rising onto the global stage and a great walking away from the same. In many ways, the baton of modern-day white-ball excellence had passed hands. Kohli’s reign had begun in full throttle.
Reactions
Twitter exploded. Even the seasoned experts stood in awe. Former cricketers called it the finest T20 innings they had ever seen. For us fans, it was something more. It was something divine. Commentators ran out of superlatives.
Ian Chappell described it as a “knock of the gods”, while Sunil Gavaskar called it “the innings of a lifetime.”
The international press too was in awe. English dailies called it “a masterstroke of genius”, Australian media itself admitted that Kohli has “broken their spirits”, and social media buzzed with an uniform thought: greatness has unfolded and history has been made.
As a young school student back then, that innings gave me hope. I remember jumping with joy, eyes wide with disbelief, heart pounding with pride. It felt like watching Sachin playing the “Desert Storm” innings or Dhoni hitting 2011 ODI WC winning six again. That’s the power of sport. It connects generations. It weaves emotion with achievement.
A Knock That Will Echo Forever
Years may pass, newer stars may rise, but March 27, 2016, will always remain a sacred day for Indian cricket fans. Kohli’s 82* wasn’t just a match-winning innings, it was a lesson in composure, in how to rise in tough conditions. It taught us that pressure is not a burden, but a badge of honour for those who are trusted. He was the evidence that anything can be accomplished with sheer dedication and focus.
With each passing generation the game evolved. New players, strategies and even rules came, changing the game forever. But some knocks stand out. They are cemented in the history of the game. Such knocks are astounding, the newer generation might make more runs or take more wickets. But, these matches, their emotions and feelings would be etched forever into the hearts of fans.
To me, this innings was personal. I watched it as a boy who loved cricket, as someone who believed heroes existed on television screens wearing blue jerseys. The men in blue were the beacon of hope. But one of them glimmered brighter that night, Virat Kohli, he wasn’t just a cricketer. He was every dream we had growing up standing tall, fighting fear, and conquering the impossible.
As fans, we watch sport not just for entertainment, but for these moments when a player rises above the game and achieves something superhuman. And perhaps, someday, when someone asks,
“What made Kohli great?” we’ll just show them that Mohali innings.