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'Kohli reads the situation well and backs his skills'

March 21, 2016 10:45 IST

IMAGE: India's Virat Kohli attends a practice session. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters.

Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik has praised India vice-captain Virat Kohli for his quality of batsmanship.

"He (Kohli) backs his skills and that's his key. He reads the situation well. He knows how to play on any difficult or flat track. That's why he's very consistent.

"You're the best coach of yourself. If you talk to yourself you will have all the answers. As a batting unit we also need to do the same thing," Malik said.

Kohli played a special knock of 55 not out (off just 37 balls) on a difficult pitch to guide India to a convincing six-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in a rain-curtailed ICC World Twenty20 match.

This was India's 11th consecutive win over Pakistan in the ICC World tournaments with Kohli scoring third successive half-century against them in last three world editions of shortest format.

"Our total was not enough to defend against such a great batting line-up. We should give credit to Kohli's innings. He was the only difference between the two teams," Malik said.

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