WATCH: Virat Kohli denies single to finish India’s chase with a six and a century

Chandra Moulee Das

Kohli put a stellar performance, scoring 103 off 97 balls to steer India to triumph.

Virat Kohli registered his 48th ODI century, propelling India to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Pursuing a target of 257, Kohli put up a stellar performance, scoring 103 off 97 balls to steer India to triumph. Simultaneously, KL Rahul played a crucial role in supporting Kohli’s century feat.

However, by strategically denying singles, Rahul ensured Kohli maintained strike. At a pivotal moment, with Kohli at 85 and India needing 15 runs for victory, Rahul’s selfless play allowed Kohli the opportunity to achieve a three-figure score.

KL Rahul’s commendable gesture has garnered widespread applause from fans. Alongside Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill also made significant contributions to India’s success. The opening pair provided India with a strong foundation, accumulating 48 and 53 runs respectively.

Virat Kohli speaks about his stellar knock

In the earlier stages, a disciplined bowling display by the Indian bowlers restricted Bangladesh to a total of 256-8. While Bangladesh initially made a formidable start, adding 93 runs for the first wicket, the Indian bowlers staged a remarkable comeback, inducing a collapse and confining Bangladesh to a subpar score.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Kohli said, “Sorry for stealing it (PoTM award) from Jaddu, I wanted to make a big contribution. I have had a few fifties in World Cups, haven’t really converted. I just wanted to finish off the game this time around and hang around till the end which is what I have done over the years.

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He further added, “I was telling Shubman, even if you dream about a situation like that, you’ll just go back to sleep, you won’t think it’s real. It was a dream start for me, first four balls, two free-hits, a six and a four. Just calms you down gets you into the innings.