Twitter abuzz with praise for Virat Kohli after brilliant knock against Australia

NEW DELHI: Twitterati was abuzz with praise for Virat Kohli after he single-handedly guided India to the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 with a master-class unbeaten 82-run knock in the must-win last group match against Australia in Mohali.

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar led the tributes for Kohli, terming his last night's innings as a "special" one.

"Woooow @imVkohli ...special it was... Great win, fighting all the way! #IndvsAus," Tendulkar tweeted.

Another batting legend Brian Lara said Kohli was an "unbelievable" batsman.

"Anyway can anyone send me videos of @imVkohli as a teenager batting #unreal best timer of a cricket ball I hv seen," the West Indian great wrote on his twitter handle.

"He is just an unbelievable batsman! No need to say anymore."

Kohli's team-mates Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Shikhar Dhawan also praised Kohli for his batsmanship and match-winning abilities.

"Well what can I say ! There are players who r in form and there is @imVkohli who wins you games again and again ! Hats of you beauty," Yuvraj tweeted.

Harbhajan added: "JEO KOHLI JEO MERA SHER.What an inn??????what a champion player u r my lil brother @imVkohli @BCCI ??????swad aa Gaya yara drallo drallllll?????????"

"Hats off to Virat's great knock!! Lots of learning from him!!??????," Dhawan tweeted.

Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq was also full of praise for Kohli.

"Great performance by India and a great innings by @imVkohli," he tweeted.

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur tweeted: "Great effort @imVkohli. You've shown a great temperament. All the best Team India for semis. @BCCI."

Australian cricketers Glenn Maxwell and just-retired Shane Watson, who witnessed Kohli's brilliance from close quarters yesterday, said they were beaten by a cricketing genius.

"Well... That innings was a different level...Not a lot more to say really...Absolutely shattered. Beaten by 1 cricketing genius. #toogood," Maxwell wrote.

Watson added: "@imVkohli What an absolute pleasure to witness that tonight. INCREDIBLE. Can't wait to finally be on the same team @RCBTweets. #waytoogood."