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Virat Kohli Surpasses AB de Villiers to Achieve 'This' Mammoth Feat

image-lnyacue8Kohli after completing his 48th ODI century [AP Photo]

Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli was at his absolute best as he scored his third World Cup century and 48th ODI century, leading India to a dominant seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Pune on Thursday, October 19.

In pursuit of a 257-run target, India was in a comfortable position when Kohli walked out to bat at number three. Initially, he played a supporting role but later shifted gears, reaching his century with a six. Kohli remained unbeaten at 103 off 97 balls, laced with 6 fours and 4 sixes.

Kohli's century ended his long-standing drought in the ODI World Cup but came with a hint of controversy as the on-field umpire, Richard Kettleborough, made a non-wide call in his favor.

Before Kohli's innings, opener Shubman Gill and skipper Rohit Sharma provided a strong foundation for India's chase. With this victory, India secured their fourth consecutive win in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

Kohli's remarkable performance shattered numerous records. Notably, he now holds the record for the most ODI centuries (33) in fewer than 100 balls. He surpassed AB de Villiers (25 centuries), his idol Sachin Tendulkar (24), and current Indian skipper Rohit Sharma (21 centuries) in this category. This achievement highlights Kohli's ability to score centuries at a brisk pace.

Other Notable Records

Kohli currently has 48 ODI centuries, just one short of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49.

During the match, Kohli also became the fastest cricketer to reach 26,000 runs in international cricket, achieving this milestone in his 567th inning. He surpassed Tendulkar, who reached this feat in his 600th international inning during a Test match against England at Lord's in 2007.

In addition to his batting records, Kohli now stands as the third player to win 40 Man of the Match awards in ODIs, solidifying his status as one of the game's greatest players.