Kohli needs just six runs to complete 1000 T20 runs on home soil. If the Indian skipper reaches the landmark, he would become only the third batsman in history of T2OI cricket, after New Zealand’s Martin Guptill (1430) and Colin Munro (1000) to achieve the feat.
The prolific run scorer who powered India to a sensational win in the high scoring T20I series opener against Windies at Hyderabad with a whirlwind 94 run knock, failed to contribute much with the willow in the second T20I as he was dismissed cheaply for just 19 by Windies seamer Kersick Williams. However, during his 19-run knock Kohli overtook Rohit Sharma as India's highest run getter in the shorter format.
In 74 T20Is in his career, Kohli has scored 2563 runs at an average of 51.26, with his unbeaten 94 at Hyderabad being the highest. At home, however, Kohli has played 28 matches and scored 994 runs at an average of 49.70. He hence is only 6 runs shy of touching the 1000-run milestone in the shortest format for India at home.
Kohli produced one his best performances with the willow in T20Is when he anchored India’s record 208-run target chase in the series opener at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in Hyderabad with eight balls to spare. The skipper's 94-run match winning knock was laced with six fours and six maximums over the fence. It was the highest T20 total chased down by India, going past the 207 versus Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009.
“I didn’t want to put pressure on Rahul but I couldn’t get going properly,” Kohli said. “I don’t have to change much (in my batting) across formats. I just concentrate on doing the job instead of hitting (the ball) in the air. I played according to the situation in the second half (of my innings).”