‘Virat Kohli Is Always Hungry For Runs’: Shreyas Iyer On Kohli’s Match-Winning Ton

Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli showcased his brilliance yet again, scoring his 82nd international century to lead India to a commanding six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy. The emphatic win at the Dubai International Stadium has all but secured India’s place in the semifinals.

Chasing a target of 242 runs set by Pakistan, India encountered an early setback with skipper Rohit Sharma departing for 20 runs off 15 balls. However, a crucial 69-run partnership between Shubman Gill (46 off 52 balls) and Kohli stabilized the innings. Kohli then formed a formidable 114-run stand with Shreyas Iyer, who contributed a steady half-century (56 off 67 balls), guiding India to victory with 45 balls to spare.

Following the match, Shreyas Iyer heaped praise on Kohli’s commitment and hunger for runs, stating, “I have never thought of Virat struggling for runs. He is always hungry for them, and I remember he arrived almost an hour early for practice yesterday. He was looking as crisp as ever.”

Iyer also reflected on the match, acknowledging that India could have chased the target even more convincingly. “We could have won a bit earlier. The pitch was favorable for batting early on but got slower as the ball aged. We could have been a little more aggressive,” he remarked.

India’s bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya, played a pivotal role in restricting Pakistan to 241 runs in 49.4 overs. Pakistan’s innings was anchored by Saud Shakeel (62 off 76 balls) and Mohammad Rizwan (46 off 77 balls), who built a 104-run partnership but struggled to accelerate. Contributions from Khushdil Shah (38), Salman Agha (19), and Naseem Shah (14) helped Pakistan post a competitive total, but it ultimately fell short against India’s strong batting lineup.

Iyer also praised the bowlers, particularly the spin trio of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. “The wicket here is spinner-friendly, and they used their experience to great effect. Their consistency brought clarity to our bowling attack,” he added.

With this victory, India moves one step closer to the semifinals, displaying dominant form in the tournament. Kohli’s century and India’s clinical all-round performance reaffirm their status as one of the favorites for the ICC Champions Trophy title.

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