Virat Kohli: A champion in T20Is

Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)

Legendary India batter Virat Kohli concluded his T20I career on high with a match and title-winning 76 against South Africa in the final of T20 World Cup 2024 at Barbados, also conquering all of white-ball international cricket in process.

Notably, Virat Kohli is the only cricketer to all the ICC white ball trophies: Under-19 World Cup (2008), ODI World Cup (2011), Champions Trophy (2013) and T20WC (2024).

After managing just 75 runs in the first seven innings of the competition, Virat stepped up when it mattered the most, scoring 76 in 59 balls, with six fours and two sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 128.81. His score guided India to 176/7 in their 20 overs, which India defended successfully, restricting SA to 169/8 in a thriller.

Virat ended the 2024 edition of the tournament with 151 runs in eight innings at an average of 18.87 and a strike rate of 112.68, with one fifty.

The 35-year-old could very well be the greatest white ball player produced by India strictly numbers and accomplishments wise. The classy batter has enjoyed a brilliant career across ODIs and T20I formats, with many expecting him to go strong till the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup or the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy atleast.

Virat Kohli's accomplishments in white-ball cricket

Overall numbers

In 292 ODIs, Virat has scored 13,848 runs at an average of 58.68 and a strike rate of over 97. Virat has scored 50 centuries in ODIs, the most by any player and 72 half-centuries. His best score is 183'. Virat is the third-highest run-getter of all time in the format and second-highest for India, next to Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs in 463 ODIs).

In 125 T20I matches, Virat scored 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04. He scored a century and 38 fifties and a best score of 122'. He ends the format as the second-highest run-getter of all time.

Top class record in ICC events, only player with 3,000 runs across competitions

Virat has an incredible record in all white-ball tournaments for India. In the ICC Cricket World Cup, Virat is the second-highest run-getter of all time, next to Sachin (2,278 runs in 45 matches) with 1,795 runs in 37 matches at an average of 59.83, with five centuries and 12 fifties.

In 35 T20 World Cup matches, Virat has scored 1,292 runs at an average of 58.72 and a strike rate of 128.81, with 15 half-centuries. His best score is 89'. He is the highest run-scorer in the history of the tournament.

Also Read: Key highlights from the fourth week of the ICC T20 World Cup

In 13 ICC Champions Trophy matches, Virat has scored 529 runs at an average of 88.16, with five fifties and best score of 96'.

Overall across all key ICC white-ball events at senior level, Virat has scored 3,616 runs in 85 matches at an average of 62.34, with five centuries and 32 half centuries. He is the only cricketer in history to have 3,000 runs across these tournaments.

Only cricketer to be part of winning playing XIs of all ICC white-ball events

Virat has a very unique feat attached to his name now. Having won the ICC U-19 World Cup back in 2008 as a captain, securing the ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy in 2011 and 2013 as an upcoming star and now the T20 World Cup as a legend of the game, the star batter has enjoyed incredible longevity as a key member of every white-ball conquering Indian team.

Only cricketer with 3 ICC Player of the Tournament awards

In a stunning display of consistency and supreme batsmanship, Virat is the only player to have three ICC Player of the Tournament awards. In the ICC T20 World Cup, he secured the POTT honour in 2014 (319 runs in six matches, average of 106.33, with four fifties) and in 2016 (273 runs in five matches, average of 136.50, with three fifties).

His third POTT award came in 2023 50-over Cricket World Cup at home last year, in which he emerged as the top run-getter with 765 runs in 11 games at an average of above 95, with three centuries and six fifties.

Holds record as top run-getter in a single ICC T20 WC, 50-over World Cup

Despite atleast nine matches being played by the winning T20 WC 2024 team, Virat's record of 319 runs in 2014 edition still remains unbroken, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz of Afghanistan (281 runs) being the closest to it.

In the 50-over World Cup at home last year, Virat broke Sachin Tendulkar's record of 673 runs in 2003 World Cup, scoring a massive 765 runs.

Number one batter in both white-ball formats

Virat has held the top spot in both ODI and T20I batter rankings in the past.

Multiple ICC award wins in white-ball cricket

With an ICC ODI Player of the Decade (2011-20), four ICC ODI Player of the Year (2012, 2017, 2018 and 2020), ICC Men's T20I Team of the Decade (2011-20) and seven ICC ODI Team of the Year (2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023) honours, Virat has plenty of physical proof of his prowess as a white-ball cricketer.

(With agency inputs)