Mumbai: Virat Kohli broke the record of most ODI centuries by hitting his 50th ton in the format at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Kohli hit his 50th ODI hundred against New Zealand in India’s semi-final encounter at the World Cup here at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
He reached this landmark in the 42nd over off the bowling of Lockie Ferguson. He hit eight fours and one six on the way to his knock. This was his first-ever ton in the knockout stage of the Cricket World Cup.
He also crossed Tendulkar's landmark of the most runs in a single edition of the Cricket World Cup, in the 34th over of the India innings.
This was his third ton of the Cricket World Cup, having scored centuries against Bangladesh and South Africa in earlier stages of the tournament. His ton against Bangladesh came in a successful chase in Pune. His second century helped set up the foundation of a match-winning total against the Proteas at Eden Gardens.
Kohli began his international career in 2008, incidentally making his debut in the ODI format. His first-ever ODI hundred came against Sri Lanka in Kolkata in December 2009.
Overall, this was Kohli’s fifth ton in the Cricket World Cup.
His first World Cup hundred came in his very first game in the tournament. This was against Bangladesh in Mirpur. The next arrived against arch-rivals Pakistan in Adelaide. The rest have come in the 2023 edition.
Kohli has shown top form during his latest outing in the Cricket World Cup. He has scored 711 runs at an average of 101.57 in 10 innings.
His first four Cricket World Cup hundreds have all come in India wins, and his fifth helped India finish at 397/4 against the Kiwis. (UNI)