ICC World Cup 2023: Kohli's latest one-day international half-century came off 48 balls, including four fours and a six
Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)
ICC World Cup 2023: Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli struck his third fifty in four World Cup innings when he reached the landmark against Bangladesh in Pune on Thursday.
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Kohli's latest one-day international half-century came off 48 balls, including four fours and a six, with tournament hosts India on course to make it four wins out of four at 171-2 off 27 overs chasing a target of 257.
The 34-year-old former captain's innings followed scores of 85 and 55 not out in recent victories over Australia and Afghanistan, with his lone failure in the tournament to date -- 16 -- coming during a seven-wicket defeat of arch-rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
India are bidding to win their third World Cup title and second on home soil, with Kohli a member of the side that enjoyed a six-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka in the 2011 final in Mumbai.
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As has been the case with each of India's opponents in the World Cup so far, scoring runs against arguably the best bowling attack in the competition proved a big ask for Bangladesh too, who managed a modest 256 for eight on a batting-friendly surface Thursday.
In fact, Bangladesh squandered a terrific start which had them placed formidably at 90 for no loss after 14 overs, but India's bowling once again came to fore on a featherbed here, despite the hosts lacking all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who hobbled off the field having twisted his ankle.
India lost Pandya as early as in the ninth over, when he tried to stop a straight drive off Litton Das' bat with his right foot and fell on the ground. Pandya received initial treatment on the field but as he began moving to his bowling mark, it became clear he would not continue and left the field subsequently.
Jadeja's was the standout performance with the all-rounder producing a measly 10-0-38-2 and a superb diving catch to dismiss Mushfiqur Rahim.
(With agency inputs)