Dharamsala’s crowd watched as Kohli narrowly missed his chance to equal the record for 49 ODI centuries, attempting to finish the game with a six, only to see the bat twist, falling short of the desired distance.
In a nail-biting moment at Dharamsala’s HPCA stadium, Virat Kohli found himself at the crease with 95 runs to his name and India needing just 5 more runs for their first ICC men’s event victory against New Zealand since 2023. Kohli was on the edge, assured to match Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 49 ODI centuries with a maximum.
In the 48th over, Kohli aimed for a midwicket boundary off Matt Henry’s delivery. A bat twist left the ball falling short, caught by Glenn Phillips at cow corner. Kohli’s outstanding innings ended, but Ravindra Jadeja sealed victory with a boundary on the over’s last ball, giving India a 4-wicket win with 12 balls left. Virat Kohli’s remarkable 95 runs from 104 balls, comprising 8 boundaries and 2 sixes, concluded when he returned to the pavilion.
A heart break moment for all the fans!!! 💔💔
— CrowdVerdict (@CrowdVerdict) October 22, 2023
Kohli's wicket on 95.#INDvsNZ #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/jRjt7EUgFg
Speaking in the post-match presentation, India’s skipper Rohit Sharma praised Kohli’s consistent performance over the years and his self-belief in crucial moments. He also acknowledged Kohli and Jadeja’s partnership that rescued them after losing wickets.
“He (Kohli) has done this for us so many years. He backed himself to do the job. Kohli and Jadeja pulled us back when we lost a few wickets in the middle. The fielding is something we pride ourselves on. Today the fielding wasn’t clinical,” Rohit said.
“Ravindra Jadeja is one of the best fielders in the world. These things happen. We know that fielding is something that will decide a lot of things going forward. We love traveling and playing in different parts of the game,” he added.
Last Updated on October 23, 2023
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