Virat Kohli has been raising the bar high with every passing game in this World Cup. During India’s last Group 2 game against Bangladesh in Adelaide, he became the alltime leading run-scorer in the men’s T20 World Cup, going past Mahela Jayawardene’s record of 1016 runs, which was set in 2014.

Kohli scored 185 runs in his maiden T20 World Cup in 2012, he was the competition’s top-scorer in 2014 and the second-highest run-getter in 2016. He was adjudged the Player of the Tournament in the 2014 and 2016 editions, making him the only male cricketer to win the award twice.

His unbeaten 82 off 53 balls during India’s nervy four-wicket win over Pakistan in Melbourne in the ongoing edition of the World Cup has taken the cricketing world by storm.

One of the finest innings in T20Is, Kohli set to rest any lingering doubts about his form on the fast and bouncy wickets of Australia. Greg Chappell, in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald, called Kohli’s knock ‘a song by god,’ and also rated the former skipper as the ‘most complete Indian batsman’ of his time.

His scores in the next three innings after the knock against Pakistan are 62 not out, 12, 64 not out.

Kohli will again take the field on Sunday, a day after he turns 34, when India take on Zimbabwe in their concluding group league match in Melbourne.

Will his silken run continue? While India looks forward to many more special knocks from Kohli, here’s a throwback to his top-5 innings in T20 World Cups (not in any particular order):

⚫ 82 not out off 53 balls vs Pakistan, Melbourne 2022: It took a Kohli special for India to begin their campaign with an inspirational victory in front of 90,293 fans. He began on a sedate note as India crumbled to 31 for 4 and then put on a 103-run partnership to set up the chase. Kohli switched gears after reaching 50 off 43 deliveries. With 28 needed off eight balls, he hoisted Haris Rauf’s back-of-length delivery straight over the bowler for a six and followed it up with another six over fine leg. With Kohli batting like a man possessed, India knocked off 16 in the last over.

⚫ 82 not out off 51 balls vs Australia, Mohali 2016: The circumstances were almost similar to Melbourne as Kohli lifted India from a precarious 49 for 3 and 94 for 4 in the 14th over on a tricky wicket. With India needing 38 off the last three in their chase of 161, he tore into James Faulkner and Nathan Coulter-Nile. Eight of his 11 boundaries came in the last five overs. India won with five balls to spare.

⚫ 72 not out off 44 balls vs South Africa, Mirpur 2014: Kohli anchored the chase with effortless ease to take India to the final. He arrived at the crease with India needing 93 from 10 overs in their chase of 173. He brought up the winning runs by dismissing Dale Steyn to the boundary.

⚫ 78 not out off 61 balls vs Pakistan, Colombo (RPS) 2012: In his maiden T20 World Cup, he showed calm and poise in reaching the target after India lost Gautam Gambhir off the second ball in their chase of 129. He made 16 from his first 19 deliveries but finished with eight fours and two sixes, India cruising to victory with 18 balls to spare.

⚫ 55 not out off 37 balls vs Pakistan, Eden Gardens 2016: The match had been reduced to 18 overs after a downpour lashed Calcutta in the afternoon. Pakistan were restricted to 118. India were reduced to 23 for 3 but Kohli, in the company of Yuvraj Singh, anchored the chase to perfection as India won with 13 balls to spare. He bowed in the direction of Sachin Tendulkar in the stands after his fifty.