In a remarkable feat, Indian cricket sensation Virat Kohli recently achieved his 49th century during the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 match against South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. With this incredible accomplishment, he has drawn level with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar for the most centuries in One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli’s impressive milestone mirrors the extraordinary record of Sachin Tendulkar, who also achieved a remarkable 49 centuries during his illustrious ODI career spanning 463 matches. On the occasion of his 35th birthday, Virat Kohli reached this historic milestone by securing a single off Kagiso Rabada’s delivery during the 49th over of India’s innings.
It’s worth noting that this moment was long-awaited, as Kohli had previously come tantalizingly close to achieving this milestone earlier in the season. In two previous matches against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, he narrowly missed out, posting scores of 97 and 88, respectively.
The historical significance of Eden Gardens for Virat Kohli cannot be overlooked. It was at this very venue, back in 2009, that he recorded his maiden ODI century against Sri Lanka. Remarkably, Kohli repeated this feat on the same pitch during a 2017 Test match against Sri Lanka when he achieved his 50th international century.
Elated by his performance, Kohli expressed his gratitude, saying, “I thank God for granting me the opportunity to play and help the team win. It’s great to get a hundred on my birthday in front of this big crowd at this great venue.”
Speaking about his passion for representing India, Kohli shared, “Every opportunity to play for India is a big one for me. To be able to do that on my birthday, in front of the whole crowd, it’s the stuff of dreams, something that as a child you wish had happened.”
Kohli went on to acknowledge the love and support he receives from fans and pledged to continue contributing to the team’s success in every possible way.
Since making his debut for the Indian national team in 2008, Virat Kohli has amassed an impressive tally of 79 centuries across all three formats of the game, putting him just behind Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 international centuries. In the match, Kohli’s outstanding performance saw him facing 121 balls to accumulate 101 runs, playing a pivotal role in India’s total of 326 for 5 in their allotted 50 overs.
With an unbeaten streak in the tournament, the Indian cricket team has already secured their spot in the semifinals after emerging victorious in all seven previous matches. The Men in Blue will face the Netherlands in their final group-stage encounter in Bengaluru on November 12 before advancing to the semifinals.
