Virat Kohli devised a plan with Hardik Pandya to attack Pakistan's Haris Rauf in the 19th over of India vs Pakistan in the 2022 World Cup. Kohli executed his plan well and smashed the run for two brilliant sixes in two previous deliveries.

Virat Kohli was the shining star for the Indian cricket team in the 2022 T20 World Cup match against Pakistan, scoring an unbeaten 82 in an epic victory over Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Although the second half of Kohli's shots were limited across the park, it was the way he faced Haris Rauf in the 19th over, smashing six sixes in the last two balls, that changed the course of the match. In an interview with the media after the match, Kohli opened up about his partnership with Hardik Pandya in the middle.

Speaking to Star Sports, Kohli admitted that he knew the chase would be tough as India needed 50 runs from the last three overs. But, he cautiously decided to hit Haris Rauf in the 19th over and not wait for the 20th over, suggesting that if they did well, the entire Pakistan team would 'fall'. Kohli's plan was successful and what followed was exactly as he had predicted.

"I can't really understand how to explain this. But, to talk about some useful aspects of the game, honestly, the situation was tough when Hardik Pandya came to bat. I'm just going with the sleeve, thinking about turning the strike and finding a great range here and there. But Hardik came and said we can do it. Then I got a boundary at the right time, but we still need 50 runs from the last three overs, and Haris Rauf to bowl one.

“I thought it would be tough but I told Hardik one thing, if we face Haris, Pakistani players will be scared. When we needed 28 runs from the last 8 balls, I was like, 'I have to hit six sixes' or we will lose the game," he said.

Six sixes and nineteen overs gave India 16 points to win the final, which was also without drama. A bowler without Mohammad Nawaz gave the Indian team the prize they needed as Ravichandran Ashwin sealed the chase by hitting the winners.