Watch: Virat Kohli came on to bowl in India’s match against Bangladesh at the MCA International Stadium in Pune today (October 19) to loud cheers from the crowd.
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Kohli had last bowled in ODIs in 2017, more than six years ago. However, the services of Kohli the bowler were required today when Hardik Pandya injured his ankle mid-over and had to hobble off the field.
With three balls to bowl in the over, the ninth of the innings, when Pandya injured himself, Rohit Sharma called upon Kohli to finish the over. The crowd, which was relatively quiet until then, thanks largely to the good start by the Bangladeshi openers, erupted at the sight of Kohli bowling.
Each of the three balls that Kohli bowled landed on decent areas. Litton Das defended the first, while the next two were milked for singles. Earlier in the day, Najmul Hossain Shanto, standing in as the Bangladesh captain in place of injured Shakib Al Hasan, called correctly at the toss and elected to bat first.
Litton and Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who has had a tough time in his ODI career so far, gave them a good start, with Tanzid being particularly brutal towards Mohammed Siraj.
The over after the one completed by Kohli was bowled by Shardul Thakur, who was carted for 16 runs, including two sixes and a four. Tanzid registered his maiden ODI fifty in the 14th over before perishing in the 15th to hand India their first wicket for the score of 93.
The highlight of the day so far, though, has been Kohli’s “wrong-footed” bowling that brought the crowd alive. He has four wickets in his ODI career, those of Quinton de Kock, Craig Kieswetter, Brendon McCullum, and Alastair Cook, a pretty rich bag of batters.
Watch Virat Kohli bowl in an ODI World Cup after eight years:
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