(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] On his 35th birthday this Sunday, the prolific cricketer known as the ‘Ton Machine’, Virat Kohli, achieved a remarkable milestone by equalling the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries. This historic feat took place during the 37th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens, where Kohli once again showcased his masterful skills by securing a century on a sluggish pitch.
This 49th ODI hundred will be remembered for a long time and came at the perfect moment as the Delhi-born batter turned a year older and a century richer at the Eden Gardens. Kohli, playing against Proteas on Sunday, remained not out and scored 101 runs off 121 balls with the help of 10 fours. Remarkably, this century also marked Kohli’s 79th international ton and his fourth ODI World Cup hundred.
Interestingly, Kohli took only 277 innings to reach his 49th ODI hundred, whereas the former India cricketer, Tendulkar, took 452 innings to achieve the same milestone. This feat also marked a historic moment as Kohli secured two centuries in a single edition of the World Cup, a first for him.
Kohli’s pivotal role in the match was evident when he came to the crease after Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, with India standing at 62-1. The end of the powerplay saw Shubman Gill’s departure due to a superb delivery by Keshav Maharaj. Kohli, alongside Shreyas Iyer, played a vital part in India’s quest for a total of over 300 runs, forging a significant 134-run partnership for the third wicket.
Wickets kept falling from the other end, but the Indian batting maestro Kohli stood steadfast at his crease until the conclusion of the innings. A cameo by Ravindra Jadeja and a century by Kohli helped India post a target of 326 runs on the board in 50 overs.
So far in the World Cup 2023, Kohli has amassed 543 runs in eight innings with a highly impressive average of 108.60 and has scored four fifties and two hundreds. Kohli is now just 130 runs away from breaking another record for the most World Cup runs in a single World Cup edition as India still have at least two matches left in the tournament. Sachin holds the record for the same. The Master Blaster scored 673 runs in 11 innings in the 2003 World Cup.