T20 World Cup warm-ups: Virat Kohli’s stunning fielding helps India to a six-run win over Australia

Virat Kohli couldn’t make much of an impact with his batting in the warm-up game against Australia in Brisbane on Monday but he turned the match around completely with his stunning fielding effort in the death overs of the match.

Batting first, India posted a total of 186/7, riding on fifties from KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav. Kohli looked good while at the crease but he got ultimately dismissed for 19 from 13 deliveries.

Australia needed to get off to a good start to chase the target down and they did so, as they put on an opening stand of 41 runs. Although they lost a couple of quick wickets, they had reached 97 by the 11th over. At 159/3 in the 17th over of the innings, it looked like they were in the driving seat. Skipper Aaron Finch was still there.

Things did change a bit when they lost Finch and Stoinis in quick succession for scores of 76 and 7. But Australia still had the likes of Tim David, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins to come who were capable of scoring the remaining 15 runs in the next couple of overs.

This is where Kohli turned the match around. First, he effected a brilliant run out to send David back to the pavilion in the 19th over of the innings, and then he pulled off a sensational catch at the long on boundary to save a certain six and dismiss Pat Cummins at the same time.

The likes of Harshal Patel and Mohammed Shami also bowled two brilliant overs at the death, where Australia lost a total of six wickets to get bowled out for 180, just six runs short of India’s total.

Brief Scores

India 186/7 in 20 overs (Rahul 57, Suryakumar 50; Richardson 4/30)

Australia 180 All out in 20 overs (Finch 76, Marsh 35; Shami 3/4)

India won by six runs