This day, that year.

Despite the valiant efforts, the semi-final is surely now a distant dream. Or is it?.

Us mortals, including me, succumbing to the mediocrity of a "brave fight" while greats like Virat Kohli had other plans. India vs Australia, T20 World Cup 2016, a virtual quarterfinal in Mohali. 161 target set for India. After a slowish start by the openers and an early wicket,

There is something so beautiful about rivalries; they can bring out the best in you or make you crumble under pressure and make you tentative, questioning your own abilities. Luckily for us, Virat comes from the former school of thought.

After steadily rebuilding the Indian innings with some valuable contributions by Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, the Aussies still looked far ahead in the game. Virat Kohli and M.S.Dhoni in the middle, arguably the two greatest finishers of the modern game. However, for a change, it was the Kohli show.

39 needed from 18.

13 runs required per over.

In his own words, it was "Now or Never".

James Faulkner going for 19 in the 18th over.

Nathan Coulter-Nile, 4 boundaries in 5 balls in the 19th over.

Some of the sounds of commentary during those 2 overs still echo in my ears to this day:

Such was the state of the Aussies, watching helplessly, a chasing masterclass, a legend in the making. This knock led him to be renamed "The Chase Master" of modern-day cricket.

The seed was planted in Hobart when a young Virat Kohli took on Lasith Malinga in his prime and helped India cross 320 in about 37 odd overs; the tree reached its completion in Mohali. With 4 needed off the last over, it was only fair to let the "Finisher", M.S. Dhoni complete the win with a boundary over mid-wicket. He couldn't take the risk of doing what he did against South Africa in the World Cup T20 Semi-Final 2 years ago. There was way too much at stake to try any heroics.

And just with the swing of the bat, we were in; we were one step closer to glory.

We were in the semi-final, who would've thought? Not me.

The lessons learned from the innings varied from:

• Self-belief

• Backing yourself

• Timing a chase

• Tactical Awareness

• Taking responsibility

• Leading by example,

• and so many more.

In his own words, he was in a “state of trance” while batting that day. I was mesmerized. We won that game in the 20th over; I still remember Kohli falling once it was done to absorb the intensity of what just happened, and so did we.

Here are some snippets from, in my opinion, the greatest T20 chase of all time. Yes, we've seen 240+ chased, but the adrenaline and the sheer excitement of that innings will be hard to replicate, merely for the fact that it changed my life.

I had no idea that anyone but the great Sachin Tendulkar could make me feel this way. My childhood love for batting came rushing back, and I knew I had to bat again. Now that I look back that day, this feels like another day in the office for Virat, doing what he does best, setting goals, chasing them down. But back then, this felt surreal, superhuman if you ask me.

I've been provided multiple opportunities to replicate something on these lines for the teams I've played with. I have found it impossible with every single opportunity to cross the line. While this could easily demotivate most people, it serves as fuel to keep trying and working harder. And it also makes me realize that no matter how easy Virat makes it look, it takes years, sometimes decades, to reach that level of effortlessness. So we keep working.

As I keep saying, 27/03/2016: the beginning of the rest of my life. It was only poetic to launch this platform on this day and pay tribute to that knock, to that innings, to the man, Virat Kohli, and the "Mayhem in Mohali".

5 years ago, after seeing what we saw, it was certain, we will win this world cup, and we will get a step further than we did in the 2014 T20 Final.

I ran to my room and told my dad, “Pack your bags. We will watch India win the World Cup”. But that's a story for another day.

Stay tuned, subscribe, and follow to hear what happens next when we go to take on the mighty West Indies at the home of cricket, Wankhede (Not Lords).

P.S. I just learned that today was the day that my first ever role model, Sachin Tendulkar, opened the innings for the first time in the ODI format; the rest is history.

I'd like to wish him a speedy recovery as we learn that he's been infected with COVID-19 and dedicate this article and everything I do as The Bat Packer to him as well since, without a Sachin Tendulkar, there wouldn't be a Virat Kohli and without a Virat Kohli, there wouldn't be The Bat Packer.