5 milestones that Virat Kohli reached during his 122*-run knock vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023
Virat Kohli played a delightful knock of 122* off 94 balls in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 clash between India and Pakistan. The Super Four fixture is currently being played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
After the two Indian openers, Rohit Sharma (56) and Shubman Gill (58), gave India a great start by adding 121 runs for the first wicket, Kohli entered the crease in the 17th over.
However, only after four overs, the match was moved to the reserve day (September 11) due to continuous rain. Kohli, who came out with a set plan on the reserve day, gelled well with KL Rahul and put the Pakistani bowlers on the backfoot.
Kohli paced his innings to perfection, reaching his fifty in 55 balls before going berserk in the backend of the innings. The modern-day legend hammered his next 72 runs off only 37 balls, hitting two fours and a six in the last three balls of the Indian innings.
It was a typical Kohli ODI innings, with him playing his flicks and drives splendidly and picking the gaps at will. However, his tireless running between the wickets was the highlight of his innings.
KL Rahul also played a fantastic knock, scoring 111* runs on his comeback after an injury.
Virat Kohli's brilliant batting efforts helped Team India post a giant total of 356/2 on the board in their allotted 50 overs.
The star batter shattered multiple records during his 122*-run knock. Here is a compilation of the top five records broken by him in Colombo.
#5 Completes 1,000 runs in international cricket in 2023
Scoring 1,000 international runs in a calendar year might be a special milestone for many batters, but Kohli has made it a habit of achieving the feat.
En route to his innings against Pakistan, Kohli once again completed 1,000 international runs in the ongoing year.
So far this year, Kohli has scored 553 runs in ODIs and 557 runs in Test matches for India.
#4 Second-most centuries in Asia Cup history
A man for big occasions, Kohli registered his fifth hundred in Asia Cup history. An innings filled with nine fours and three sixes, Kohli's 122*-run knock was of pure class.
With his ton, Kohli now becomes the player with the second-most hundreds in the Asia Cup. He surpassed Kumar Sangakkara (four centuries) on the list, while Sanath Jayasuriya remains the player at the top of the list with six centuries.
Four of Kohli's five Asia Cup centuries have come in the ODI format, while the only T20 Asia Cup century came in 2022 against Afghanistan.
#3 Highest partnership in Asia Cup history
Both Kohli and Rahul made history by stitching together a 233-run partnership for the third wicket against Pakistan on Monday. The duo played with a resounding intent to put India ahead in the game.
Their 233-run stand is now the highest-ever partnership in the history of the Asia Cup. The previous highest partnership in the tournament was recorded by the Pakistani duo of Mohammed Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed when the two added 224 runs for the opening wicket against India in 2012.
Kohli and Rahul's 233-run partnership is now also the highest partnership in India vs. Pakistan ODIs as well.
#2 First Indian with the most consecutive ODI hundreds at a ground
Amassing runs in Colombo has become a fun game for Kohli. The Delhi lad has played nine ODIs at the R Premadasa Stadium, scoring 641 runs at an immaculate average of 128.20.
This also includes four consecutive centuries, becoming the first Indian to do so at a particular ground. Kohli scored 128 runs in 2012, 131 and 110 in 2017 in Colombo.
Hashim Amla was the first individual to score four back-to-back hundreds at a ground when he hit the merry run at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.
[Stat credits: @kaustats]
#1 Fastest to 13,000 ODI runs
Another landmark that Virat Kohli reached on Monday was that of the fastest to completing 13,000 runs in one-day internationals.
The 34-year-old reached the milestone in 267 innings. He surpassed legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar on the list, who took 321 ODI innings to achieve the same.