<a href="https://cricket.international/sohail-khan-recalls-fiery-virat-kohli-clash-from-2015-odi-world-cup/" title="Sohail Khan recalls fiery <a href="https://cricket.international/dhruv-jurel-names-virat-kohli-best-sledger-but-denies-most-stylish-player-tag/" title="Dhruv Jurel names Virat Kohli best sledger but denies most stylish player tag”>Virat Kohli clash from 2015 ODI World Cup”>Virat Kohli has opened up about his ambition for the 2027 ODI World Cup, revealing that he wants to produce a match-winning knock in the final if India reach the title clash. The veteran batter also reflected on India’s heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final and his dismissal in the Ahmedabad summit clash.
Kohli was one of India’s standout performers during the 2023 tournament, scoring 765 runs and finishing as the leading run-scorer. However, his 54-run knock in the final ended when he was bowled by Pat Cummins, with India eventually losing the match.
Virat Kohli breaks silence on heartbreaking dismissal in 2023 World Cup final
Kohli admitted that the 2023 final defeat stayed with him in much the same way the 2016 IPL final had remained in his thoughts before Royal Challengers Bengaluru eventually won the IPL in 2025. Virat Kohli revealed that he had started thinking about a much bigger contribution before his innings was cut short against Australia.
“Before we [Royal Challengers Bengaluru] won the IPL in 2025, I used to get flashbacks of the 2016 final [which they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad]. I feel the same about the World Cup final as well,” Virat Kohli said in a chat with Abhinav on JioStar.
Virat Kohli was batting on 54 when Cummins produced the delivery that ended his innings. He believed that a bigger score could have put India in a strong position in the final.
“I was playing on 54 and had set myself up for a big hundred; like, if I got 140-150, we would be in a great position to win that game, because you’re getting 300-plus in a big final, and with our bowling, we will get them. But as soon as I played on [to Pat Cummins], it was very tough to process for many days. And you keep thinking about it.”
That whole World Cup was great, the environment was phenomenal – Virat Kohli on 2023 event
Despite the disappointing ending, Vitat Kohli remembers the 2023 World Cup campaign positively. India had won all 10 of their matches before the final and entered the title clash after producing a strong run through the league stage and knockout rounds.
“That whole World Cup was great, the environment was phenomenal. Within the team, you could see the camaraderie; everyone was happy playing for each other. Even losing someone like Hardik [Pandya] early on [to injury], we never spoke about what would happen next, although it was a big loss in terms of what he brings.
“But [Mohammed] Shami came and tap-tap-tap [to indicate picking up wickets] – you know what he can do. So, everyone had a feeling that it was our World Cup. There was a different energy altogether, and then when the game shifts like that, it’s very difficult to process.”
Kohli added that his desire to decide matches has remained unchanged throughout his career.
“I’ve always been someone who, every game that we play I want to be the guy who wins us the game – so that’s never going to go away from me. I am made that way,” Kohli said.
My dream is to play a match-winning, finishing knock in the finals – Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has now outlined the kind of contribution he would like to make in what he has confirmed will be his final ODI World Cup for India. Rather than focusing only on personal milestones, he wants to influence as many matches as possible and, ideally, finish the job in the final.
“So my goal [at the World Cup] is to win as many games as I can for the team – 60-70% of the games would be phenomenal. My dream is to play a match-winning, finishing knock in the finals, like chasing a score. That’s the ideal scenario. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t happen, we win the World Cup, I’ll be as happy.”
“It’s the last time you’re getting to play a World Cup. So just getting that trophy is the most important thing. If I have the opportunity to do it as an individual staying there out in the middle, there’s nothing more satisfying as a batsman. That drives us – to be the guy who makes an impact. Situation difficult; you visualise yourself pulling the team out of trouble. And that’s what makes you compete. So I don’t want to let go of that competitiveness.”
Kohli’s record in major tournament finals shows why another big final innings would carry personal significance. Across 11 tournament finals, he has scored 209 runs at an average of 23.22, with a highest score of 54 and one fifty. His overall major-tournament record, however, is considerably stronger. In ODI World Cups, Kohli has scored 1,795 runs in 37 matches at an average of 59.83, including five centuries and 12 fifties.
Source: cricketaddictor.com
