On his 35th birthday, Indian cricket sensation Virat Kohli marked a significant milestone by equaling the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 49 One-Day International (ODI) centuries during India’s World Cup match against South Africa in Kolkata. Kohli’s remarkable achievement occurred in the 49th over of India’s innings when he reached his 49th ODI century, taking 119 balls and a single against Kagiso Rabada. It’s worth noting that Tendulkar had reached his 49th century in his 451st ODI innings, while Kohli accomplished this feat in just his 277th innings, within his 289th ODI match. He concluded his innings unbeaten with 101 runs from 126 balls, making a significant contribution to India’s total of 326.
Kohli’s outstanding performance in the 2023 World Cup includes two centuries and four half-centuries in eight league matches. He currently ranks as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer, following South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, boasting an impressive average of 108.40 and a strike rate of 88.27. This marks the first time that Kohli has surpassed 500 runs in an ODI World Cup.
Moreover, Kohli’s exceptional form in the ODI format persists in 2023, with over 1000 runs and five centuries at an average of 72.18 and a strike rate of 99.82. This achievement marks the eighth occasion on which he has scored more than 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year, surpassing Tendulkar’s record of seven such instances. Kohli’s consistency and excellence in ODI cricket continue to solidify his position as one of the sport’s all-time greats.