Virat Kohli celebrates scoring his 49th ODI hundred | Salil Bera
Virat Kohli, on his 35th birthday, scored the 49th century of his ODI career on Sunday to equal Sachin Tendulkar's tally for the most tons in the format. The Indian batting sensation achieved the milestone while batting against South Africa in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in Kolkata.
Virat Kohli pushed a single in the 49th over of the game bowled by Kagiso Rabada to reach the three-digit mark. The relief was well evident as he took his helmet off, kissed his bat, and saluted the crowd giving a standing ovation with their smartphone flash guns lighiting up the atmosphere. His partner Ravindra Jadeja rushed to hug him as Eden Garden crowd erupted in delight.
For Kolhi, the 49th ton came it came in 277 innings, while Tendulkar brought up his 49th in 452 innings, news agency PTI pointed out.
Earlier in the match, Kohli had surpassed Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara to become the third-highest run-getter in ICC World Cups.
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On Thursday, Virat Kohli was dismissed for 88 at Mumbai's Wankhade Stadium by Sri Lanka. Earlier on October 22, he got out for 95 while chasing against New Zealand in Dharamsala. However, there was no stopping "King Kohli" at the City of Joy today.
Kohli's unbeaten 101 off 121 deliveries, India reached 326/5 against Temba Bavuma's team.
India vs South Africa: As it happened
Kohli's unbeaten 101 contained 10 fours and left him level with Indian great Sachin Tendulkar on 49 hundreds. The right-hander continued his superb form by taking his tally past 500 runs in the tournament. He dropped anchor in a third-wicket with Iyer, who made 77 with seven fours and two sixes, before getting to his ton in the 49th over after India went past 300 runs on a slow Kolkata wicket.
Virat Kohli celebrates his fifty | AFP
Barring Keshav Maharaj who bowled his full quota at a stretch, no other bowler could create an impact on an different looking Eden wicket that became slower as the game progressed and aided spin.
There was more setback for the Proteas as pacer Lungi Ngidi limped off and was unable to complete his over. Marco Jansen also looked wayward and leaked eight in extras.
Unlike any other day, the dry Eden pitch on a hazy overcast evening offered vicious turn and South Africa were quick to bring on their ace spinner Maharaj right after the powerplay.
India's turbo-charged start by Rohit was already halted by Kagiso Rabada's wicket-maiden first over, and Maharaj produced a classical left-arm spin to remove the in-form Gill (23; 24b).
That ball dipped so much that it enticed Gill to come forward and but then it turned away sharply to clip the top of stumps, leaving the Indian opener in utter disbelief.
Well-aware of Kohli's weakness against Maharaj, the South African skipper had the left-arm spinner go non-stop at one end.
But Kohli navigated the phase well in an intriguing battle against Maharaj. Shreyas played a tortoise-like innings looked to be the weak link, but Kohli guarded him well in an exceptional Test-match like alliance.
The Birthday Boy also survived a review for caught behind on 37 when he pushed defensively at a snorter from Maharaj, as the Proteas appealed for a caught-behind.
The replays showed no spike on UltraEdge, in the only opportunity for Maharaj.who made the most the conditions, but only to be restrained with figures of 10-0-30-1 under sheer brilliance of Kohli who scored 16 off 29 balls against him.
That South Africa's second spinner Tabraiz Shamsi could not make full use of the conditions unlike his Chepauk show, helped the Indian duo.
While Kohli and Iyer played with respect against Maharaj, they were happy to take charge against Shamsi.
Kohli brought up his fifty off 67 balls -- his sixth in eight innings in the World Cup -- in Maharaj's last over, while
Opting to bat, skipper Rohit Sharma gave India a blistering start before South Africa arrested the run flow with one wicket each by Rabada and Maharaj.
At a venue where he has the ODI world record score of 264, Rohit smashed a 24-ball 40 before Bavuma's terrific catch at mid-off halted his innings.
Rohit smashed Rabada powerfully through covers, but the South Africa skipper held firmly to the ball in front of his eyes.
The Indian skipper quickly got off the blocks after surviving on duck off a Lungi Ngidi delivery that hit him high on the thigh pad.
But since then it was a one-way traffic for Rohit who took Ngidi and Marco Jansen to cleaners.
Lanky leftarm pacer Jansen, who was South Africa's main bowler in the powerplay, bowled a lot of freebies and was wayward.
With Rohit taking charge on him, his figures read 4-0-43-0 -- the first time Jansen went wicketless in the powerplay that yielded 91 runs for India.
