Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 15 (ANI): Star India batter Virat Kohli on Wednesday surpassed Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to become the player with the most fifty-plus scores in a single World Cup edition.
Virat accomplished this milestone during India’s Cricket World Cup semifinal against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium.
In the match, Virat scored 117 in 113 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of over 103.
This is Virat’s eighth fifty-plus score of this tournament, with three of them being centuries. He has overtaken Sachin and Shakib’s tally of seven such scores in the 2003 and 2019 World Cups respectively. While Sachin had only one century out of these seven knocks, Shakib had two.
In 10 matches of this tournament so far, Virat has scored 711 runs at an average of over 101 and a strike rate of over 89. His best score is 117. Virat has scored three centuries and five fifties in 10 innings in this tournament. He is also the highest run-getter in the tournament so far. Virat also has the most amount of runs in a single Cricket World Cup edition, going past Sachin’s record of 673 runs in the 2003 edition of the tournament.
Virat is now the third-highest run-scorer in all of Cricket World Cup history. In 36 matches, he has scored 1,731 runs at an average of 61.46, with the best score of 117. He has scored five centuries in his WC career so far, with 11 fifties as well.
Coming to the match, India opted to bat first and scored 397/4 in their 50 overs. Skipper Rohit Sharma (47 in 29 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) and Shubman Gill (80 in 66 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) delivered a fine start with a 71-run opening stand.
Virat Kohli (117 in 113 balls, nine fours and two sixes) posted his 50th ODI ton, while Shreyas Iyer (105 in 70 balls, with four boundaries and eight sixes) scored his second-successive WC century, helping India post a massive score. KL Rahul also delivered a 20-ball cameo of 39 runs, with five fours and two sixes.
Tim Southee (3/100) was the pick of the bowlers for the Kiwis. Trent Boult (1/86) also got a wicket.
Brief Scores: India: 397/4 (Virat Kohli 117, Shreyas Iyer 105, Tim Southee 3/100). (ANI)
