Kohli manifests dream finish for India in CWC Final 

For a career that has mastered plenty of remarkable knocks in successful ODI chases, India star Virat Kohli is itching to sign off in style with his magnum opus.

Speaking to JioStar, Kohli shared that he is manifesting to see India through to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 success with the bat. 

"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. 

"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 happy.”

Currently the second-highest run-scorer in Men's Cricket World Cup history, Kohli had finished with a whopping 765 runs at the last World Cup as India finished runners-up at home.

Kohli, who is currently part of India’s ODI squad against the West Indies, had recently shared that the upcoming Men’s Cricket World Cup will be his last for India. 

The 37-year-old says that significance adds to the motivation he has heading into the marquee tournament. 

"It's the last time you're getting to play in 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 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."

As India prepare for a three-match ODI series, Kohli is verging on 15000 ODI runs. A particular feature of his batting that has changed in recent times is the brisk rate of scoring runs.

Kohli’s strike rate in the format has gone up from 93.54 towards the end of 2024 to 99.80 as it stands.

"What's changed is, firstly, I promised to myself that I'm going to play more freely," he said. 

"I'm not going to worry about the expectations that people might have around me. Because my role always had been for a long period of time that he's going to stabilise things, right? 

“What happens is I know I can play, like I know I can hit shots, but [say] you're playing on a tricky pitch, and you try to do something extravagant and you survive. Immediately there's a (player coming out with a drink saying), 'you play, keep going'.

"This time, I'm making a conscious effort that if I'm set, to make a difference in the game, get 30-40 extra runs.

“I want to be in a space where if I am choosing not to take a risk, it's because I'm setting up eventually to get to a point where I say, 'okay, now press the accelerator down'. 

“It's not to say 'I'll keep going at that rate and not accelerate at any stage and then do it at the end'. Now the game is changing in a way that especially if the conditions are fast-paced and good and other teams are looking to press you towards 340, 350, we should be able to get 350, 360 also.”

India will play the West Indies in a three-match ODI series starting today, Sunday, September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram.

The series will mark Kohli and former skipper Rohit Sharma’s return to action for India for the first time since they played in the ODI series against England in July.