Virat Kohli's 82* vs Pakistan: The Commentary Lines Fans Still Remember
Who called Virat Kohli's six off Haris Rauf 'the shot of an emperor'? The verified commentary lines from his 82* against Pakistan at the MCG in 2022, who said them, and the moments they described.
On 23 October 2022, in front of 90,293 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Virat Kohli played what many fans still call his greatest T20 innings: 82 not out off 53 balls to beat Pakistan off the last ball of the T20 World Cup. The batting was unforgettable, and so was the commentary that went with it.
Quick answer: the famous line "That is the shot of an emperor" is credited to Australian broadcaster Gerard Whateley, calling the match for SEN radio, after Kohli's straight six off Haris Rauf. On the TV coverage, Harsha Bhogle called the same shot with the line fans still quote: "Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground!" Below are the verified commentary lines, who said them, and the moments they described.
The match situation: why the commentary hit so hard
To feel the commentary, you need the context:
Pakistan made 159 for 8. Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed both scored fifties, while Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya took three wickets each.
India collapsed to 31 for 4 in the chase. The game looked gone.
Kohli and Hardik rebuilt with a 113-run partnership, but the required rate kept climbing.
India needed 31 off the last 12 balls, with Haris Rauf, Pakistan's fastest bowler, starting the 19th over.
After four balls of Rauf's over, India still needed 28 off 8. That is when Kohli hit the two sixes that changed the match, and the commentary.
Also read: Why Is MS Dhoni Hated? 5 Real Reasons Some Fans Criticise Him
The six off Rauf: "Kohli goes out of the ground"
Rauf bowled a back-of-a-length ball, hard and fast. Kohli stayed back, barely moved his feet and hit it straight back over the bowler's head for six. It is a shot that should not really be possible against that kind of pace.
Harsha Bhogle's call:
"Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground!"
The line works because it is so simple. Bhogle let the shot speak, and the second half of the sentence rises with the ball. It became one of the most shared commentary clips in Indian cricket, and ESPNcricinfo and Star Sports both posted versions of the moment on social media.
Hardik Pandya, at the non-striker's end, later said it was the best shot he had ever seen.
"The shot of an emperor": Gerard Whateley on SEN
On Australian radio, Gerard Whateley described the same straight six as "the shot of an emperor". SEN, the station he was calling for, used the phrase in its headline that night, and it has been attached to the shot ever since.
So if you are searching for the "shot of an emperor" commentator name, the answer is Gerard Whateley, one of Australia's best-known sports broadcasters. The line was later recalled again in June 2024, when Kohli hit a similar straight six off Naveen-ul-Haq at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The second six: fine leg, and back in the game
Off the very next ball, Rauf went fuller. Kohli flicked it off his pads high over fine leg for another six. Twelve runs off two balls: India now needed 16 off the final over. The momentum, and the stadium, had swung completely.
Kohli later said he "honestly did not plan" the first shot, and that at that point "you have to hit two sixes now, otherwise there is no chance you are going to win this game."
The final over: chaos, a no-ball and a free hit
Mohammad Nawaz bowled the last over with 16 to defend, and almost everything that could happen, did:
Hardik out caught off the first ball. 16 needed off 5.
Dinesh Karthik single. 15 off 4.
Kohli two. 13 off 3.
Kohli six off a high full toss, called a no-ball for height despite Pakistan's protests. 6 off 3, and a free hit.
Wide on the free hit. 5 off 3.
Kohli bowled on the free hit, but the ball ran away and they ran three byes, since you can't be bowled out on a free hit. 2 off 2.
Karthik stumped. 2 off 1.
Wide to the new batter, R. Ashwin. 1 off 1.
Ashwin lofts it over mid-off. India win by four wickets off the last ball.
The best lines from that night
Here are the verified quotes, with who said them:
Who | Line | Context |
Harsha Bhogle (TV commentary) | "Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground!" | The straight six off Rauf |
Gerard Whateley (SEN radio) | "The shot of an emperor" | The same straight six |
Ravi Shastri | "Even the gods wanted a game like this." | After the match |
Rohit Sharma | "Not one of his best, but the best innings he has played for India." | Post-match |
Virat Kohli | "It's a surreal atmosphere... I honestly have no words." | Post-match |
Many fan-made clips online carry longer "commentary lines" with words like "king" and "genius". Some of these are edits or mixes of different broadcasts, so we have only listed lines we could match to a named commentator or a reliable report.
Also read: Highest Score in IPL History: Top 10 Team Totals and Records (Updated After IPL 2026)
Why Kohli's 82* is still talked about
The pressure. A World Cup game against Pakistan, a full MCG, and India at 31 for 4.
The shot. The straight six off a fast back-of-a-length ball is now known simply as "the shot", and even Rauf has said he doubts anyone else could hit it off his bowling.
The timing. Kohli had gone through a long run without an international hundred until September 2022. This innings, weeks later, confirmed he was back at his best.
The commentary. Bhogle and Whateley gave the moment words that fans still repeat.
Kohli went on to retire from T20Is after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup. You can read about that in our piece on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's T20I retirement, and about his trophy record in how many ICC trophies Kohli has won.
Verdict
Kohli's unbeaten 82 off 53 balls at the MCG is one of the great T20 innings, and the commentary made it immortal. Harsha Bhogle's "Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground" is the line Indian fans remember from TV, while Gerard Whateley's "the shot of an emperor" on Australian radio gave the shot its royal nickname. For how this knock fits into Kohli's wider career, see our Sachin vs Kohli comparison.
FAQs
Who said "shot of an emperor" about Virat Kohli?
Australian broadcaster Gerard Whateley, commentating for SEN radio, called Kohli's straight six off Haris Rauf "the shot of an emperor" during the 2022 T20 World Cup match at the MCG.
What did Harsha Bhogle say about Kohli's six?
Harsha Bhogle called the straight six off Haris Rauf with "Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground!", one of the most quoted Kohli commentary lines.
How many runs did Virat Kohli score against Pakistan at the MCG?
He scored 82 not out off 53 balls on 23 October 2022, guiding India to a four-wicket win off the last ball while chasing 160.
Who hit the winning runs in India vs Pakistan at the 2022 T20 World Cup?
R. Ashwin hit the winning run, lofting the final ball over mid-off after Kohli had taken India to within touching distance.
What are the best Virat Kohli commentary lines?
The most famous are Harsha Bhogle's "Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground!" and Gerard Whateley's "the shot of an emperor", both from the 2022 MCG match.
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