Virat Kohli clinched his 48th ODI century in a dramatic fashion, smashing a winning six against Bangladesh. His partner in this milestone quest was KL Rahul, who cleverly refrained from taking easy singles, enabling Kohli to reach this historic landmark.
Kohli’s 48th ODI century now ignites the possibility of surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 49 centuries, a feat that might unfold during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
This century marks Kohli’s third in the ICC Cricket ODI World Cups and his 48th in the ODI format. The situation seemed precarious as India needed 19 runs to secure victory, and Kohli remained 19 runs short of the century.
KL Rahul’s role proved pivotal as he consciously avoided singles to ensure Kohli retained the strike, significantly enhancing the odds of reaching the coveted century. Post-match, Rahul disclosed that Kohli initially hesitated, fearing it might appear as though he was chasing a personal milestone rather than focusing on team victory. However, Rahul’s perspective prevailed, urging Kohli to aim for the century, which ultimately came with a magnificent maximum, sealing their triumph.
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During his century pursuit, Virat Kohli also achieved a remarkable milestone as the fastest batter in men’s international cricket history to amass 26,000 runs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record, albeit in 33 fewer innings.
Kohli’s unbeaten 103 against Bangladesh now positions him second in the Most Runs table of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, with only India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, scoring more.
India’s triumph against Bangladesh not only secured their dominance but also leveled them with New Zealand in terms of tournament points. Both teams stand undefeated after playing four matches, although New Zealand currently leads due to their superior net run rate.
