Published on 04:50 PM, November 15, 2023

Kohli scores record 50th ODI hundred

PHOTO: REUTERS

India's Virat Kohli scored a record 50th one-day international hundred when he reached three figures in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Kohli, 35, reached his century -- his third of the tournament -- with a two off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, having faced 106 balls, hitting eight fours and a six, to break the record of 49 ODI hundreds he had shared with Sachin Tendulkar.

He did so on his former India team-mate's home ground, with Tendulkar among those applauding at the Wankhede Stadium as Kohli bowed towards his childhood hero and fellow 2011 World Cup-winner.

This was Kohli's 279th ODI innings, with the former India captain having also scored a further 71 fifties in addition to his 50 hundreds.

Dropped on 107, Kohli was eventually out for 117 when he pulled Tim Southee low to Devon Conway at deep square leg.

At that stage India, bidding to win a third World Cup title and second on home soil, were already well-placed for a huge total at 327-2 off 44 overs, with Shreyas Iyer 77 not out.

Kohli goes past Tendulkar's 673

India's Virat Kohli has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of 673-run tally in a single edition of the World Cup during the first semi-final in Mumbai against New Zealand today.

When Kohli nudged a single off Glenn Phillips to reach 80 in the 34th over, he went past Tendulkar's tally. 

Tendulkar had struck 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup in 11 matches at an average of 61.18.

Kohli hits first-ever Cricket World Cup knockout fifty

India's Virat Kohli has managed to hit his first-ever fifty in ICC ODI World Cup knockout stage during the first semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai today.

Shubman Gill struck a brisk 13th ODI fifty and along with Virat Kohli, continued to pile up the runs after India lost captain Rohit Sharma for a quickfire 47. Rohit and Gill put on 71 runs for the opening wicket, the skipper's knock including 4 fours and 4 sixes before Tim Southee gave New Zealand a much-needed breakthrough. Gill then kept up the pace, notching up 79 in 65 balls but he ended up having to retire hurt in the 23rd over.

Kohli's record in ICC ODI World Cup semi-final has been poor. He scored just 9 runs in the 2011 World Cup semifinal against Pakistan, and then he managed to score just 1 run in the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand. 
Earlier, India skipper Rohit Sharma surpassed West Indies' Chris Gayle as the player to hit the most number of sixes in World Cups. Rohit hit fifty sixes to surpass Gayle's tally of 49.