'My Player of the Match...,' Sanjay Manjrekar says Kohli's innings put India in danger in 2024 T20 WC final

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Virat Kohli didn't deserve the Player of the Match award in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa. Kohli had top scored for India, hitting 76 out of team total of 176 and announced his retirement after the match.

"By playing that innings, Hardik Pandya, one of their most devastating batters, had just two balls to face. So I thought India's batting was good, but Virat Kohli had potentially played an innings that would've put India in a tight corner. And it almost proved to be that, before these guys' bowlers came in the end," said Manjrekar in a show with ESPNCricinfo after the match.

"India were in a losing position, 90 per cent winning chances (for South Africa). The complete turnaround actually saved Virat Kohli's innings because he played virtually half the innings with a strike-rate of 128. My Player of the Match would've been a bowler because they actually took the game from the jaws of defeat and won it for India," he added.

Talking about Kohli's World Cup - he scored five runs in three Group Stage matches. The batter scored 1 run against Ireland, 4 runs against arch-rivals Pakistan and a duck against the USA.

Come Super 8 stage Kohli did play better, scoring 24 against Afghanistan and 37 against Bangladesh but got another duck against Australia.

Kohli failed once again in the semifinal, scoring just nine runs against England. He, however, played superbly in the final against the Proteas.

As for South Africa, they were ahead most of the time and needed 30 runs in last five overs with Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller on the crease.

The chase derailed after Pandya dismissed Klaasen in 17th over and from thereon India came out as eventual winners, holding SA at 169/8.

It was India's second T20 WC title after winning the first edition back in 2007.