Virat Kohli was a happy man on Thursday. He had every reason to be as the Indian cricket team entered the Cricket World Cup semi-finals in emphatic fashion with a 302-run win over Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli played a big part in the win as he scored 88 and stitched a great stand with Shubman Gill (92). Virat Kohli got close to equalling Sachin Tendulkar‘s world record of 49 ODI tons but missed the mark by just 12 runs. However, he will have more opportunities in the current Cricket World Cup to not only equal that mark but also surpass it.
However, Virat Kohli was in a jovial mood while India was fielding. As fans at the Wankhede Stadium sang the song ‘My names is Lakhan’ from the movie ‘Ram Lakhan,’ Virat Kohli gave them a good time by dancing to the song.
Virat Kohli dancing on ‘MY NAME IS LAKHAN’ #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/28Uzadj50D
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) November 2, 2023
Virat Kohli surpassed iconic Sachin Tendulkar’s record by becoming the batter with the most thousand runs scored in a single year in the ODI format.
Former India captain however failed to match Sachin’s record of most ODI centuries (49).
Virat crossed the one thousand run mark in the 50-over format against his favourite opposition Sri Lanka in the ongoing World Cup on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium.
In his decorated career, Virat crossed the four-digit mark for the eighth time which came during 2011-14, 2017-19 and 2023.
Sachin crossed the four-digit mark in a single year in the ODI format seven times in 1994, 1996-98, 2000, 2003 and 2007.
Kohli’s knock of 88(94) was his 10th 50-plus score in the ODI this year. Shubman Gill is leading the chart with twelve 50-plus ODI scores in 2023.
Virat’s game-changing knock against the Lions also brought up his 118th 50-plus score in the ODI format.
Virat and Gill’s 189-run stand was India’s second-highest partnership against Sri Lanka in World Cups. The first spot still belongs to Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly‘s sensational partnership of 318 runs at Taunton in 1999.
Virat was on the brink of matching Sachin’s record of 49 ODI centuries but Dilshan Madushanka got the better of him with a slower delivery. He timed it a tad early and aimed it towards short cover, Pathum Nissanka dived low to take a stunning catch.
Kohli and Gill’s partnership laid down a strong base for India to put up a massive total against Sri Lanka and secure their place in the semi-finals.
With ANI inputs
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