Virat Kohli hammers his ninth World Cup fifty-plus score: Stats
Indian Run Machine Virat Kohli played a match-winning knock in India's 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup opener against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Kohli played a scintillating knock after India were 2/3 while chasing 200 on a tricky surface. He smashed a 116-ball 85, having shared a century stand with KL Rahul. Notably, Kohli slammed his ninth World Cup 50+ score.
Another brilliant knock by Kohli
Kohli came to the middle after India lost opener Ishan Kishan in the first over. India soon lost Rohit and Iyer too, which put the onus on Kohli and Rahul. The duo gave an exhibition of resistance and endurance thereafter. Kohli played meticulously, having scored just 6 fours in his knock. He scored 61 runs off singles and doubles.
Kohli has been acing the opening clashes
Kohli is featuring in his fourth World Cup edition, having appeared in 2011, 2015, and 2019. Each of his two WC tons has come in the opening matches. In 2011, he slammed an unbeaten 100 against Bangladesh. It was his first-ever WC encounter. Four years later, Kohli smashed a match-winning 107 against Pakistan. Kohli scored 18 against South Africa in the 2019 WC opener.
67th fifty in ODIs and 13th versus the Aussies
In 282 matches, Kohli has raced to 13,168 runs at an average of 57.50. He slammed his 67th ODI fifty, besides also owning 47 tons. In 48 matches versus Australia, Kohli owns 2,313 runs at 53.79. He registered his 13th ODI fifty. Kohli also went past 200 ODI fours versus Australia (203). As per ESPNcricinfo, Kohli owns 49 fifty-plus scores, having scored 5,588 runs.
World Cup records for Kohli
Kohli struck his seventh ODI World Cup fifty. He also owns two tons. In 27 matches, Kohli owns 1,115 World Cup runs at 48.47. Kohli and Rahul added 165 runs for the fourth wicket. As per ESPNcricinfo, it's now the best stand for India against the Aussies in WC history. It's also the second-best stand against Australia by any side at the World Cup.
Kohli scripts this world record
As per statistician Rajneesh Gupta, Kohli has now scored more runs in successful chases than any other player in ODI history. He has gone past Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli has scored 5517 in 92 innings whereas Sachin managed 5490 in 124 innings.
India win their fourth successive opening match in World Cups
India began their 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup campaign in style after beating five-time champions Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. India were reduced to 2/3 before Kohli and Rahul stood tall. Earlier, a concerted effort from the Indian bowlers decimated Australia, who managed 199/10. Nobody went on to score a fifty for the Aussies. For India, Ravindra Jadeja stood out with a 3-fer.
