Virat Kohli misses out on 49th hundred, but shatters Sachin Tendulkar's ODI record

Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)

Virat Kohli continued to do what he does best as he once again showcased his immense prowess by smashing a coruscating 94-ball 88 during India's ICC World Cup 2023 league stage clash against Sri Lanka. This meant he is still one century shy of equalling fellow India great Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record of 49 one-day international hundreds.

Following a shaky start, which saw Kohli dropped on 10, the current India batting star looked increasingly assured as he completed a run-a-ball fifty on the retired Tendulkar's Wankhede Stadium home ground as his former team-mate looked on from the stands. But 12 runs shy of equalling the ODI century record of Tendulkar, the 34-year-old Kohli was deceived by a Dilshan Madushanka cutter that he could only chip to cover-point, where Pathum Nissanka held a simple catch.

Kohli, along with Tendulkar a member of the India side that defeated Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede, faced 94 balls, including 11 fours.

The 34-year-old walked in to bat after India lost a crucial wicket in the form of captain Rohit Sharma. With flamboyant opener Shubman Gill by his side, Kohli took some time to settle down before going to play a near-perfect ODI knock.

In the process, the former India skipper completed 1000 runs in a calendar year. Kohli achieved this milestone a total of eight times in his career, thus eclipsing Tendulkar's previous record who had achieved the same feat seven times.

Keeping India ahead of Sri Lanka with crisp batting, fluent knocks by both Kohli and Gill, who was dismissed at 92, powered India to a strong position of 189/1 in 29 overs. Sri Lanka were off to a terrific start when Dilshan Madushanka beat the defence of Rohit on the second ball of the game for the first breakthrough.

Sri Lankan seamers dominated the initial exchanges as Dushmantha Chameera's two maidens upfront featured probing line and length, drawing inside edges on consecutive deliveries off Kohli's bat, before a leading edge dropped short of the bowler in his follow through.

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Gill made his first runs on his ninth ball when Madushanka dropped it short and the batter pulled it to midwicket for a four, following up with a backfoot punch piercing the point and cover fielders for another boundary.

But Gill was lucky as Charith Asalanka mistimed his jump at cover while attempting to take a catch in the fifth over off Madushanka.

In the sixth over, Chameera could not hold on to a catch on his follow-through when Kohli got another leading edge.

Brief scores: India 196-3 for 1 in 31 overs (Shreyas Iyer 2 not out, KL Rahul 1 not out).

(With agency inputs)