Virat Kohli said that he told Hardik Pandya that if they attacked Haris Rauf then Pakistan would panic. India defeated Pakistan by four wickets in its T20 World Cup opening match on Sunday.

Virat Kohli helped India beat Pakistan. (AP Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: Virat Kohli’s brilliant knock helped India secure a four-wicket win over Pakistan in its T20 World Cup opening match at the MCG on Sunday.

Kohli, who stood tall at the end to take India home, revealed his strategy against Pakistan. The former India captain said that he told Hardik Pandya that if they attacked Haris Rauf then Pakistan would panic.

“I actually don’t know how to explain the feeling. Talking about some practical things, honestly, situation was very difficult when Hardik Pandya came to bat,” Kohli said while speaking on Star Sports.

“I was just going through the innings, I was like just rotate the strike and hit an odd boundary here and there to keep the scoreboard moving. But Hardik kept pushing me and telling me ho jaayega, we bat deep ho jaayega. Then I found boundaries at the right time but still 50 off three overs and with Haris Rauf to bowl one over, I was thinking it’s going to be challenging.

“I told Hardik one thing if we attack Haris Rauf then Pakistan will start panic. When 28 runs were required from eight balls, then I was just backing myself to score two sixes otherwise we will lose the game.”

Arshdeep Singh set the tone of the match after India opted to field. The India left-arm fast bowler struck on his very first ball, dismissing Pakistan captain Babar Azam for a golden duck. The 23-year-old went on to get rid of Mohammad Rizwan and became the first bowler to remove both Pakistan openers in the same innings before India restricted Pakistan to 159/8.

In reply, India had a horrendous start. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah gave Pakistan the perfect start, dismissing Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav early on. However, Kohli and Pandya took the match deep, with Kohli (82* off 53) hammering Pakistan bowlers and Pandya (40 off 37), who was struggling in the middle, playing the second fiddle.

With 16 runs needed off the final over, Mohammad Nawaz ended Pandya’s struggle. When the fourth ball went for a six, the umpire signalled a no-ball for being a high full-toss for Kohli. Nawaz then bowled a wide before India took three runs on a free hit.

Nawaz fumbled again as he bowled a wide when India needed two runs off as many balls. Ravichandran Ashwin then cleared the infield for a single, which led to jubilation in the Indian dugout.