Virat Kohli [Source: X.com]Indian fans deeply felt the absence of Virat Kohli after India’s crushing loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Notably, Suryakumar Yadav’s India failed to chase the target on Sunday evening, and the defeat exposed major weaknesses in their batting lineup during pressure situations.India’s chase of 188 runs began in the worst possible way. Ishan Kishan was dismissed for zero in the very first over. Soon after, Tilak Varma scored just 1 run, and Abhishek Sharma managed only 15. As a result, India finished the powerplay at a worrying 31 for 3.India’s batting collapse during the chase Furthermore, the rest of the batters also struggled under the pressure of a rising required run rate. They attempted big shots but kept losing wickets. Eventually, India were bowled out for just 111 runs in 18.5 overs, losing by 76 runs. This heavy defeat also ended India’s 12-match winning streak in T20 World Cup matches.In contrast, South Africa showed patience and smart batting. Although they were also in trouble at 20 for 3 after four overs, David Miller and Dewald Brevis rebuilt the innings calmly.Miller scored a powerful 63 runs from 35 balls, while Brevis added 45 from 29. Together, they put on a crucial 97-run partnership for the fourth wicket in just 50 balls. Therefore, South Africa managed to post a strong total that India could not chase.Viral T20I stats highlight Virat Kohli’s importanceAfter India's terrible defeat, one statistic quickly went viral on social media. It showed how important Virat Kohli has been in big T20 World Cup chases. Notably, India have never chased a target of 160 or more in a T20 World Cup match without Virat Kohli.In fact, India has successfully chased 160+ totals only three times in T20 World Cup history, and Kohli remained not out in all three matches:72* vs South Africa (Mirpur 2014)82* vs Australia (Mohali 2016)82* vs Pakistan (MCG 2022)Moreover, Virat Kohli was named Player of the Match in all three games for his match-winning performances. Therefore, fans believe India missed their most reliable chaser in this crucial match.Read More: Abhishek Sharma Dropped: Changes India Must Make To Beat Zimbabwe In T20 WC Super 8It is important to note that Kohli retired from T20Is after India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory against South Africa. Later, in May 2025, he also retired from Tests. Currently, the plays only ODI cricket.Overall, Kohli finished his T20I career with 4188 runs in 117 innings, including 1 century and 31 half-centuries. Additionally, he performed consistently across all three formats during his career, making him one of India’s greatest batters.How India’s loss affects semi final chancesIndia’s batters looked unsettled throughout the chase and appeared rushed. Their aggressive approach backfired, as they struggled to rotate strike and kept losing wickets while attempting big shots. Consequently, India’s batting problems in the tournament became more serious.The defeat has badly damaged India’s net run rate, which now stands at –3.800. Therefore, India must win both of their remaining matches against Zimbabwe and West Indies to keep their semi-final hopes alive.Read More: Pakistan In Trouble As Jay Shah's ICC Hands England Advantage In T20 World Cup
