India vs Pakistan T20 2016 Highlights: Virat Kohli chases for India once again [Video]

The game at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata today was one head turner for the entire equation at the ICC World Twenty20 with India and Pakistan playing their most important match of the tournament. But all thanks to Virat Kohli, who can make even the most difficult games look like a casual stroll in the park, the entire episode was beautifully dealt with.

The Indian Vice Captain played up to his expectations, on a ridiculous pitch that was as slow as a crawling tortoise. With a smashing unbeaten 55 in just about 37 balls, he helped India across the line, and eventually reached the target of 119 with a total of 13 balls along with six other wickets to spare. This was after the rival team of Pakistan had already finished their first innings on 118/5 in 18 overs.

After the torrential downpour at Kolkata, the match was delayed and reduced to a mere 18 overs. After the Indian players had showcased their magic at the stadium with their bowling expertise, the Pakistan players were brought down to a bare minimum in terms of scores.

In the beginning, it was not going too well for team India, what with Dhawan and Raina falling in two balls to Mohammad Sami. Dhawan apparently seemed to be having one of his off moments, since he was clearly seen eating up deliveries left, right and Centre, and being unable to comprehend as to how to get out of the spider's web he had created for himself.

Hence, it was a shock for not only Sami but also the entire audience watching the game when he played one on off Sami, with the fast bowler literally surprising the daylights off of the left-hander with his gracious pace. Similar was the case for Raina as well, with the No.4 getting out for a golden duck.

India could be seen staring at its collapse, just like in the case of New Zealand, to avoid which they needed a strong partnership on the batting front. And as divine intervention, this partnership came in the form of Kohli and Yuvraj, which is where the game started looking up for the team. Virat looked as comfortable at the pitch as any other practice day, whereas Yuvraj just hung on to the pitch like every other time.

These batsmen were the ones to whom India truly owes their victory for today's match, just like they had chased the country to victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup a month back. This right and left-hand combination put on an unthinkable 61 runs together at just a shade of over seven overs. That kind of a run rate, on this absolutely sticky wicket was outstanding, with Yuvraj growing in confidence and showing his true worth with each passing ball.

However, with Yuvraj falling to an extremely unnecessary shot, India still had 35 runs to be scored out of 36 balls at their 12th over. But this minor glitch was wonderfully taken care of by our very own skipper Dhoni, along with the ever enthusiastic Virat Kohli.

Initially, Pakistan made the fatal error of having misjudged the pitch conditions, and played four fast bowlers instead of an extra spinner or two. But, after losing the toss, it all depended on how the Pakistan batsmen fared, and they did not do too well, since the India bowlers had taken absolute control of the situation at hand. Only Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik really found anything faintly looking like their boundary-hitting groove, and although Dhoni made a couple of highly peculiar decisions – like R Ashwin not bowling out, despite spinning it square, while Hardik bowling two overs with Yuvraj not even getting a single bowl – India kept Pakistan to a parish score they knew they could chase down easily at the end of the day, you know, as long as Kohli scored his best. Which, as we can now be the proud spectators of, he did.

Watch the video highlights of India vs Pakistan match