Virat Kohli has the chance to make his 35th birthday particularly memorable ahead of Team India’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against South Africa.
As a result of their thrilling 302 run victory over Sri Lanka on Thursday, the Indian team has already advanced to the World Cup 2023 semifinal.
India’s play against South Africa in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens stadium on Sunday, the day Kohli celebrates his birthday, could become the perfect platform for him to register the record for the most centuries One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
The star batsman and former Team India captain is just one century (100 runs) away from levelling with Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, who has a world record for registering 49 ODI tons.
India defeated Bangladesh seven wickets to win the event earlier in Pune, where Kohli scored his 48th ODI century.
The 2023 competition has presented numerous lost chances for the soon-to-be 35-year-old hitter to tie Tendulkar’s record.
Pacer Matt Henry from New Zealand made sure that Kohli didn’t write history against his team during India’s game against them at the gorgeous HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.
Kohli, who had come out to bat at No 3 when India was 71 for 1 during their chase of 274 runs, was caught at 95 runs by Glenn Phillips off Henry’s bowling in the 48th over.
The star batsman had walked back dejected after falling five runs short of a historic 100.
In the match against struggling England, Kohli was dismissed by fast bowler David Willey for a nine-ball duck at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on 29 October.
Kohli also had another opportunity to emulate his idol Tendulkar in the match against Sri Lanka on Sunday. Just before the match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, a life-size statue of Tendulkar was unveiled in what could have been a symbolic victory for Kohli.
But this was yet another missed opportunity for the top-order batter as he got out for 88, leaving several of his eager fans heartbroken and making it Kohli’s third failed attempt at a century.
Kohli has, overall, neared a century but fallen short of scoring one thrice in the ongoing World Cup tournament in India, having been dismissed for 85 against Australia in Chennai and 95 against New Zealand in Dharamshala.
If Kohli reaches the landmark in any of the upcoming matches, it could become a more memorable moment for the cricketer from Delhi as it would take him fewer games than Tendulkar to level with the cricketing legend.
Tendulkar had scored 49 centuries in 463 ODI matches. Kohli currently has 48 hundreds in just 276 ODIs.
