OTD In 2012: Virat Kohli Hammered Pakistan With Career-Best 183

Aakash Saini

Virat Kohli celebrating his 11th ODI century [Source: @LoyalSachinFan/x]Virat Kohli celebrating his 11th ODI century [Source: @LoyalSachinFan/x]

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On this day, 13 years ago, Virat Kohli sculpted a regal 183 against arch-rivals Pakistan at a time when he was still laying the foundation for his greatness. In an innings adorned with 22 boundaries and a towering six against the likes of Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi; Kohli’s masterclass at Mirpur helped India gun down Pakistan’s 329 with remarkable ease.

As we celebrate 13 years of one of the finest knocks ever played by an Indian batter in ODIs, here is a look back at the innings that cemented Kohli’s stature as a chase maestro.

When Virat Kohli hammered his magnum opus ODI score

Mere weeks after storming India past Sri Lanka’s 320 in less than 37 overs in Hobart, Virat Kohli unfurled another run-chase masterclass, doing so against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur during the 2012 Asia Cup.


Batting at number three in a tall must-win chase of 330, the then 23-year-old arrived to the crease within just the opening over after the early fall of Gautam Gambhir. Kohli responded with a counterattacking 133-run partnership with half-centurion Sachin Tendulkar, and raged on with another 172-run stand with Rohit Sharma.

During the course of both partnerships, the then youngster sculpted his 11th ODI century, one of his very best to date. The innings not only remains the highest individual score against Pakistan in ODI history, but also continues to stand the tallest among all batting efforts recorded in an Asia Cup match.

In years that followed, Virat Kohli went on to amass 40 more ODI hundreds as he currently sits on a pile of 51 centuries in the format. Notably, he recorded the last of those tons against Pakistan, this time doing so in a 2025 ICC Champions Trophy match in Dubai.