It may have been a rather one-sided affair at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, with India clinching an 8-wicket win over Ireland, but the fans kept the atmosphere alive with their spirited chants throughout the game. On Thursday, a video of fans chanting “Kohli ko bowling do!” went viral, as Virat Kohli, the star India batter, fielded near the boundary.
India’s bowlers were in excellent form, dismantling the Irish batting lineup for a mere 96 runs in just 16 overs. Hardik Pandya led the attack with stellar figures of 3/27 from his four overs while Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh also made significant contributions, claiming two wickets each with figures of 2/6 and 2/35, respectively.
Amidst the dominant bowling display, the crowd was eager for some entertainment from star batter Kohli, urging the captain to let him bowl. The stadium resonated with loud chants of “Kohli ko bowling do” as fans expressed their wish to see Kohli in action with the ball.
Kohli, positioned at deep mid-wicket, remained focused on the game, not responding to the crowd’s enthusiastic chanting.
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Kohli didn’t bowl in the match, as India bowled Ireland out for less than three figures in the game.
Virat Kohli has nine international wickets to his name, four of which have come in T20Is. His bowling exploits include a memorable first T20I wicket, where he dismissed former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen with his very first ball, thanks to a smart stumping by the wicketkeeper. This took place in Manchester in 2011 during a bilateral match.
India’s strong start
India eased past Ireland in the run-chase and even as Kohli endured a rare failure with the bat at the tournament, scoring only 2, Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain and Kohli’s fellow opening partner, smashed an unbeaten half-century. He scored 52 before leaving the field retired hurt following a blow to the arm. The injury, however, is not serious as Rohit waved off the concerns in the post-match presentation.
Rishabh Pant continued to bat at no.3, as he scored an unbeaten 36 and ended India’s run-chase with a six.
