Rohit Sharma Backs Virat Kohli to Shine in T20 WC Final Against SA

India captain Rohit Sharma does not see stalwart batter Virat Kohli’s current form as a “problem” and believes the intent is there for him to perform in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa.

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Despite a successful stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2024, Kohli has struggled to find runs in the ongoing T20 World Cup, amassing just 75 runs at an average of 10.71 over seven matches. The semi-final against England seemed like the ideal stage for Kohli to regain his form ahead of the final. He showed promise with a towering six over mid-wicket but was dismissed by Reece Topley shortly after, attempting to clip the ball towards the boundary.

Despite Kohli’s underwhelming tournament, Rohit Sharma remains confident in his teammate’s abilities and expects him to shine in the final. “He (Kohli) is a quality player. Any player can go through that. We understand his class and his importance in these big games. Form is never a problem. When you’ve played cricket for 15 years, form is never a problem. He’s looking good, the intent is there, he’s probably saving for the final. Absolutely (backing Kohli for the final),” Rohit said during the post-match presentation.

India, haunted by their 2022 World Cup semi-final defeat, advanced to the final with a comprehensive 68-run win over England. The spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav played pivotal roles, restricting England to 103 runs in 16.4 overs while chasing a target of 172. Axar dismantled the top order with figures of 3/23, while Kuldeep supported by containing the middle order, finishing with 3/19.

Rohit emphasized that staying calm and composed would be crucial for success in the final against the unbeaten South African team. “We have been very calm as a team. We understand the occasion (final). Staying composed helps you make good decisions. That’ll help us making the game through. You got to play good cricket. That’s what we want to do in the final. We’ll try our best, that’s all I can say. The team is in good shape, they are playing well. All I can hope is to put up another good show come the finals,” he added.

India and South Africa will face off in the final on Saturday at the Kensington Oval, Barbados.