IND vs PAK 2022: Danish Kaneria compares Virat Kohli’s big hit off Haris Rauf to Javed Miandad’s iconic six

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has compared Virat Kohli's six off Haris Rauf in the T20 World Cup 2022 match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, October 23, to Javed Miandad’s legendary big hit off Chetan Sharma.

Kohli (82* off 53) played a spectacular knock in the India-Pakistan Super 12 match to lead India to a come-from-behind victory. Chasing 160, the Men in Blue needed 31 off 12 balls. Kohli dispatched the last two balls of the penultimate over from pacer Rauf for sixes to swing the momentum of the match.

The first maximum was smashed down the ground and the second over fine leg. Hailing the Indian batter, Kaneria compared the second six hit by Kohli to Miandad’s iconic six off Chetan Sharma in the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final in Sharjah. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he commented:

“I remember when Miandad hit that six off Chetan Sharma, he stood just ahead of his crease. He knew the yorker was coming and converted it into a full-toss. Kohli also knew that a yorker was going to be bowled. So he planned accordingly and hit that six.”

After failing to stop Kohli with a hard-length ball off the penultimate delivery, Rauf attempted to bowl one fuller. However, Kohli preempted the bowler’s move and flicked the delivery over fine leg.

Speaking of Miandad’s six, he adjusted his stance to convert a possible yorker from Sharma into a full-toss and lift Pakistan to a sensational last-ball win.

---

“He gave them a mouth-shutting answer” - Danish Kaneria takes a dig at Virat Kohli’s critics

While praising Kohli, Kaneria also took a dig at those who have been critical of the former Indian captain over his poor form over the last few months. The former Pakistan leggie said:

“All those who had wronged and criticized Kohli, he gave them a mouth-shutting answer. He won the game single-handedly with his exceptional knock. He pulled victory from the jaws of defeat. He will always remember this innings. Have never seen a better innings from Kohli. Nobody thought India could win this match but Kohli and Hardik Pandya believed.”

Set to chase 160, India lost four wickets by the seventh over. However, Kohli and Hardik Pandya (40 off 37) added 113 for the fifth wicket to lift India’s hopes. The Men in Blue eventually got home off the last ball.