Virat Kohli reached yet another milestone in his illustrious career, equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 49 ODI centuries. He achieved the feat on a memorable occasion – his 35th birthday, in front of a packed Eden Gardens crowd in Kolkata during India’s crucial World Cup match against South Africa.
Kohli Express Gratitude for Special Moment on Birthday
An elated Kohli expressed his gratitude for being able to experience such a special moment on his birthday. He called it the “stuff of dreams” and thanked God for blessing him with such opportunities to represent India. Kohli reached the milestone in just his 277th innings, while it took Tendulkar 451 innings to get to 49 tons.
Steady Kohli Anchors Indian Innings After Early Blows
Kohli steadied the Indian innings after the early dismissals of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. He focused on keeping the momentum going and building partnerships. His cautious approach saw him bring up his century off 119 balls in the 49th over. Kohli finished unbeaten on 101 off 121 deliveries, helping India post a competitive 326.
4⃣9⃣ 𝙊𝘿𝙄 𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙎!
Sachin Tendulkar 🤝 Virat Kohli
Congratulations to Virat Kohli as he equals the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most ODI 💯s! 👏#TeamIndia | #CWC23 | #MenInBlue | #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/lXu9qJakOz
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 5, 2023
Kohli, Iyer Consolidate with Crucial Stand
Kohli shared a 134-run third wicket stand with Shreyas Iyer which consolidated India’s position. The duo skillfully rotated strike against the spinners during the middle overs. Iyer complimented Kohli by hitting loose balls to the boundary. Their sensible batting ensured India batted deep and set a challenging total.
Prolific Kohli Enjoying Stellar Year
Kohli’s ton comes during an outstanding year in ODIs. He has over 1000 runs in 2023 already, including 5 centuries. It’s the eighth time he has crossed 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year, going past Tendulkar’s record of seven. Kohli also has the most runs in the ongoing World Cup with 542 runs at a staggering average of 108.40.
India First to Qualify for Semis with Seven Straight Wins
India became the first team to qualify for the World Cup semifinals, notching up their seventh straight win. They will look to maintain momentum with Kohli in scintillating form.
