Virat Kohli’s legend continued to grow exponentially as he came within handshaking distance of Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 49 hundreds during India’s walk-in-the-park seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in a World Cup match in Pune on Thursday. Kohli, who plans 50-over chases with the precision of a surgeon, remained unbeaten on 103 off 97 balls as India smashed the 258-run target with a whopping 51 balls to spare. India have now recorded four wins from four matches and another win would effectively take them into the semi-finals.
While Kohli hit six fours and four sixes, it was his exemplary running between the wickets in pursuit of his 48th hundred that would be remembered longest.
But credit also goes to Ravindra Jadeja (2/38 in 10 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/41 in 10 overs), who covered all the bases exemplarily in the absence of Hardik Pandya, who limped off the field after spraining his left ankle . .
“Sorry for stealing it (the player of the match award) from Jaddu. I wanted to make a big contribution. I have scored fifties in World Cups, I wanted to finish it this time,” Kohli said after the match.
While skipper Rohit Sharma (48 off 40 balls) and Shubman Gill (53 off 55 balls) added 88 in just 12.4 overs to spark the chase, it was a piece of cake for Kohli at a venue, which he shares an intimate relationship.
While Rohit rocked the Bengals with an all-out attack, Kohli defeated them with a thousand cuts, executing the two with effortless ease in the 1990s, another testament to his fitness.
Earlier, as has been the case with each of India’s opponents in the World Cup so far, scoring runs against arguably the best bowling attack in the competition also proved a big ask for Bangladesh, who managed a modest 256/8 off a batting -friendly competition. surface.
In fact, Bangladesh squandered a great start, leaving them a formidable 90 without loss after 14 overs, but India’s bowling once again came to the fore here.
India lost Pandya in the ninth over when he tried to stop a straight drive on Litton Das’ bat with his right foot and fell to the ground. Pandya was given initial treatment on the field, but as he started walking towards his bowling alley, it became clear he was not going to continue and he subsequently left the field.
With all options at his disposal, the fact that Rohit Sharma picked Virat Kohli to complete the injured Pandyas – while India were still looking for a maiden breakthrough – showed how confident India are with their bowling attack in this competition.
Kuldeep Yadav provided the first breakthrough and Ravindra Jadeja the second as it was India all the way and Bangladesh found themselves at less than five runs per over after a robust start.
In fact, Jadeja’s was the standout performance, with the all-rounder producing a paltry 10-0-38-2 and an excellent diving catch to dismiss Mushfiqur Rahim.
But the first exchanges belonged to young Tanzid Hasan, who hit a dazzling maiden fifty, scoring 51 from 43 balls (5x4s, 3x6s). Litton Das made 82-ball 66 (7x4s), while Rahim’s 38 and a late strike from Mahmudullah (46, 36 balls, 3x4s, 3x6s) gave the Tigers their runs.
Without help from the surface, the task of getting started with the new ball early on looked like a challenge, even if Jasprit Bumrah (2/41) found some movement in the air.
After a cautious start, Das took on Mohammed Siraj (2/60) in the sixth over, hitting two fours to get a move and Tanzid pulling Bumrah over good leg for the first six of the innings in the next.
The Bangladesh openers immediately put pressure on the scoring rate as 53 runs came from the last five overs in the powerplay.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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