ISLAMABAD: Former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli said on Sunday that his brain had "completely shut off" while he delivered a batting masterclass against Pakistan in last year's T20 World Cup that helped India pull off a victory which is seen by cricket fans as nothing short of a miracle. 

The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is one of the most passionate rivalries sports, with millions of fans waiting for years to catch the action when the Asian giants face each other at international events. Political tensions mean the two countries don't play bilateral series with each other but face off at international events.  

Pakistan last faced India at the massive MCG, with over 90,000 in attendance as the two sides battled during a World Cup fixture. Chasing a target of 160 runs, India were in serious trouble after Pakistan's pace battery took a flurry of quick wickets to dismiss batters Rohit Sharma, K.L.Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel. 

Reeling at 31/4, Kohli steered his team out of trouble, building a solid partnership with all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the blue shirts managed to pull off a last-ball victory over Pakistan, driven mainly by Kohli's classic knock under pressure. He remained unbeaten on 82 from 52 balls, smashing six fours and four massive boundaries. 

At a recent corporate event, the former Indian captain was asked about his state of mind at the moment. In response, Kohli said he "still can’t make any sense of it."

"The fact of the matter is that I was so much under pressure that my mind had shut off completely by the 12th or 13th over," Kohli said, recalling that his earlier slump in 2021, which earned him a lot of flak from cricket fans and critics alike, was bearing heavily on his mind. 

Kohli said he was under so much stress when Pakistan had the upper hand that he still can't remember the advice Indian coach Rahul Dravid gave him during the drinks break. 

"I remember in the break, Rahul bhai came to me and I don't remember what he said. I swear and I even told him this as well. I told him, ‘I have no idea what you told me in that break because I was zoned out’," he said. 

Kohli said that when his mind "shut off", his instincts took over and guided his innings. 

"So, when I stopped thinking and planning, whatever God-given talent I have that came to the surface and then I felt like something higher was guiding me," he said. 

The former world number one batter said he learned the valuable lesson to not work his mind so much in such pressure situations, adding that "it actually pushes you away from real magic."

"What happened that night, I can never explain it and it won’t happen ever again," Kohli concluded.