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9-1-1 ... not an emergency, Kohli's World Cup semi-final scores!

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Virat Kohli (Getty Images)
Virat Kohli (Getty Images)

Cape Town - There's no doubting Indian skipper Virat Kohli is one of the greatest cricketers of his generation.

READ: 45 minutes of bad cricket put us out - Kohli

In fact, when the 30-year-old finally decides to hang up his bat, he may well be regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time.

The only problem is that as of right now, for 1.34 billion Indians, that's not how they're feeling...

India were bundled out of the 2019 Cricket World Cup on Wednesday at the semi-final stage, losing by 18 runs to New Zealand at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Kohli's contribution to India's scorecard? A single off six balls before he was trapped lbw by left-armer Trent Boult.

It's not the first time Kohli has failed when his country has needed him most.

At the previous World Cup in 2015 in Australia - also in the semi-finals (at the Sydney Cricket Ground) - Kohli also scored a single, this time off 13 balls before he top-edged a Mitchell Johnson delivery to wicketkeeper Brad Hadden as India would go on to lose by 95 runs.

In the semi-finals of World Cup prior to that in 2011 in Chandigarh, Kohli, as a 22-year-old, scored nine runs off 21 balls before he was caught at backward-point by Umar Akmal off the bowling of Wahab Riaz.

Thankfully for Indian fans, that failure didn't proved as costly as India beat Pakistan by 29 runs and would go on to beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final.

For the record, Kohli contributed 35 runs to India's successful run chase that day.

READ: India's Cricket World Cup exit 'breaks a million hearts'

Despite his playoff failings, Kohli's current ODI stats make for impressive reading - and are therefore doubly frustrating for his legion of fans.

In 236 matches he's scored 11 286 runs at an average of 59.40 with 41 centuries and 54 half-centuries.

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