In equalling Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most number of centuries in 50-over cricket, batting maestro Virat Kohli overtook Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara to become the third-highest run-scorer of all time in ODI World Cup history.
Kohli added to his cricketing records in the ongoing World Cup clash with South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens.
Nearly carrying his bat through the innings, Kohli scored a perfectly weighted and paced 101 off 121 balls with 10 fours and a strike rate of 83.47.
In 34 World Cup matches, Virat has 1,573 runs at an average of 58.25, with four centuries and 10 fifties. His best score in the quadrennial showpiece is 107.
With 2,278 runs, Sachin is the highest scorer ever in World Cup history while Sangakkara finished with 1,532 runs in his WC career.
In the eight matches of the ongoing World Cup, Virat has scored 542 runs at an average of 108.40, with two centuries and four fifties. His best score is 103*. He is the second-highest run-getter in the tournament so far.
Virat has also continued his red-hot form against South Africa in ODIs.
In last 15 innings against SA in ODIs, Kohli has smashed 1,091 runs at an average of over 109, with five centuries and five fifties.
He is now just one century away from becoming the first player to smash 50 ODI centuries.
Virat’s century is also his 79th in international cricket. Virat has smashed 49 centuries in ODIs, 29 in Tests, and one in T20Is.
Virat’s record-equalling ton has come at the same ground where he scored his first-ever international ton against Sri Lanka in 2009.
The star batter now has the second-highest number of centuries in international cricket, next to Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 centuries.
He also joined an elite company of batters who scored a century on their birthdays. These players include Sachin himself, Vinod Kambli, Sanath Jayasuriya, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, and Mitchell Marsh.
119 balls is the joint-most balls Virat has taken for a century, with his century against Pakistan in 2015 at Adelaide and against South Africa in 2018 in Cape Town coming in the same amount of balls.
India won the toss at the Eden and opted to bat first. Led by Kohli, the batter showed good application combined with aggression to score 326/5 off their 50 overs.
Rohit Sharma (40 in 23 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and Shubman Gill (23 in 24 balls, with four fours and a six) provided India with a brisk start. After their dismissal, Virat carried the innings with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 77 in 87 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
Quickfire cameos from Suryakumar Yadav (22 in 14 balls with five fours) and Ravindra Jadeja (29* in 15 balls with three fours and a six) helped India go past the 300-run mark.
Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi all took a wicket apiece.
While both teams have qualified for the semifinals, India would look to defend 327 to continue its unbeaten run in the tournament. (ANI)
