Virat Kohli once again demonstrated why he is considered the most reliable batsman in ODI cricket.
In the third and final match of the series against New Zealand, Kohli created history by scoring a magnificent century under challenging circumstances.
When India’s innings faltered early on, Kohli held firm at one end and kept the hopes alive until the very end.
Kohli Leaves Ponting Behind in ODI History
With this innings, Kohli achieved a significant record. He completed 12,662 runs batting at number three in ODI cricket, surpassing Ricky Ponting, who had 12,655 runs. Virat Kohli is now the highest run-scorer at this position.
Kohli scored this century when India was 71 for 4 wickets, chasing a daunting target of 337 runs. The pitch demanded composure and patience.
Kohli took minimal risks, rotated the strike, and hit big shots at the right opportunities.
He completed his century with a single off the last ball of the 40th over, bowled by Zack Foulkes. This century came off 91 balls and included eight fours and two sixes.
This was Kohli’s 54th century in ODIs and his 85th overall in international cricket. It was his 41st century in India and his seventh against New Zealand. Notably, Kohli now has seven or more ODI centuries against five different teams.
India Fought Back Through Partnerships
In this match, Kohli received good support from Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored 53 runs. The two shared an 88-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which stabilized India’s innings. Later, Kohli and Harshit Rana added quick runs, putting on 99 runs in 69 balls. Harshit played a crucial innings of 52 runs off 43 balls.
As long as Kohli was at the crease, it seemed like India might pull off a miracle. But as soon as he was dismissed after scoring 124 runs off 108 balls, the match slipped out of India’s grasp.
Although the result didn’t go in India’s favor, Kohli’s innings will be remembered for a long time. It once again proved that in big matches, Virat Kohli remains India’s greatest strength.
