As part of their 10-year celebration, Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the 2023 ODI World Cup, is releasing a series of exclusive “Believe” films. The first of these is “Believe: The Diwali Miracle,” a two-part interview featuring Virat Kohli that looks back on his historic T20 innings against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
On the eve of Diwali last year, this innings resulted in a miracle triumph. For the first time, Virat Kohli and Jatin Sapru watch the entire match, and they openly talk about the build-up, the low points, and how this incredible miracle came to be. The interview reveals the subtleties of Kohli’s mastery on the biggest platform by going deeply into his expectations, mentality, feelings, and special recollections.
Virat Kohli talked about how important the supporters were to winning that memorable game.
“I didn’t feel pressure like I did before because of the fact that I returned to play in the Asia Cup and the phase I was in, which was one of contentment rather than desperation of any kind. The fact that I was taking part in such a significant event once more filled me with happiness. “And I recollected a lot of things. There was a COVID-19 pandemic in between, which caused fans to be absent from the stadium.
Prior to the game, I experienced a wave of emotions that helped me realize how fortunate we are, not only for the players but also for the fans, as these memories can only be made in an environment conducive to it, one that is created by the players, by circumstances like this one (referring to the India vs. Pakistan game at the MCG), and most importantly, by the presence of spectators in the stadium.
I believe that this knock would not have been as significant if there hadn’t been so many people present that day since supporters are what make a game more than just a game.
Virat Kohli also talked about what it’s like to hear the national anthem in a full stadium.
It’s incredible. Singing the national song in front of a large crowd and having others join you is something I will never forget, out of all the World Cup games or large-scale performances involving India and Pakistan. And I’ll explain why; in my opinion, that is the one thing that everyone who is involved in that game on game day—including your management, supporters, and team—does together.
“Everything else—batting, bowling, and fielding—occurs individually; this is the one instant when everyone’s energy is concentrated into one thing, and it has a very unique power. We get goosebumps because of this energy, which is something we can’t fully put into words but is nonetheless something to feel. There aren’t many chances to sense and experience energy like that in a split second,” he continued.
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