Rohit Sharma backs Virat Kohli performance for T20 World Cup final

Indian captain believes star batsman is saving his best for the T20 World Cup final

India's captain Rohit Sharma expressed confidence that the underperforming Virat Kohli is likely reserving his best performance for the T20 World Cup final. This came after India secured a decisive victory over England, advancing to the tournament's final.

Kohli's struggles continued as he managed only nine runs from nine balls before being bowled by Reece Topley. So far, he has accumulated just 75 runs in seven innings in the T20 World Cup 2024. Despite this, Sharma emphasised Kohli's class and experience.

"Virat is a quality player. Any player can go through that. We understand his class. When you have played for 15 years, form is never a problem. He’s probably saving it for the final," Sharma remarked.

India is set to face the undefeated South Africa in the final on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. Sharma stressed the importance of maintaining composure ahead of the crucial match.

"We’ve been very calm. We understand the occasion of the final. It’s important we stay composed because that helps you make good decisions. We have been very steady, calm, and that has been the key for us. We’ll try our best. All I can hope is to put in another good show come the final," Sharma said.

Reflecting on the semi-final triumph over England, Sharma expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance. "It’s very satisfying to win this game," he said. "We worked really hard as a unit. To win like that was a great effort from everybody. I thought we adapted to the conditions. They were really challenging. If we play according to the conditions, things fall into place."

Sharma also highlighted the importance of setting realistic targets and allowing players to play freely. "At one stage we felt 140 or 150 would be competitive. Then we said 25 runs more. I can set a target in my mind, but I don’t want to let anyone know because all of our batters are instinctive players and I want them to play freely. I thought 170 was a very good score and the bowlers were fantastic."