Virat Kohli endures a rare failure in semis of T20 World Cups

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli's horrid run in the T20 World Cup continued as the star batter suffered yet another single digit dismissal while being dismissed for 9 against England in the semifinal in Guyana on Thursday.
Kohli's ability to contribute significantly with the bat in the knockout matches has been a testament to his consistency but the former India captain failed to keep the momentum going.
Kohli, known for his exceptional batting performances in the semifinal games of T20 World Cups, endured a rare failure. The usually reliable batsman couldn't showcase his skills as he has done in previous crucial matches.
The star batter pulled Reece Topley for six but two balls later the left-arm paceman bowled him as he knocked over the leg stump. Kohli has now scored just 75 runs in seven innings this tournament at an average of 10.71.
In 2014, Kohli delivered an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls against South Africa, guiding India to victory with his masterful performance.
Two years later, in 2016, he dazzled again with an explosive 89 not out off 47 balls against the West Indies, though India fell short in that match.
In the 2022 semi-final against England, Kohli managed only 50 runs off 40 balls, a valiant effort but not enough to secure the win. Despite the ups and downs, Kohli's contributions in these critical matches have left an indelible mark on T20 World Cup history.
Earlier, England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and elected to field in the defending champions' rain-delayed semi-final.
Both teams were unchanged from their concluding Super Eights games.