The Indian skipper seems to have been very much impressed with the saying, “A leader sets an example for others to follow.” His performances and contributions towards team India’s victories at various points have been appreciative & crucial. The passion and zeal with which he walks into the field lift up the whole mood of the game. His blistering knocks and persistent performance has helped him achieve various milestones in his career.
With 43 ODI centuries and 11867 ODI runs already registered under his name, the player still has a long way to go. Meanwhile, some still remember the 35-run contribution made by 23-year-old Virat Kohli during the 2011 World Cup final; plenty know him as an aggressive & compassionate captain. Here we take a look back at the top 3 ODI knocks of Virat Kohli.
183 against Pakistan in 2012 Asia Cup
The first record to have made it to the list ought to be Virat’s fierce knock of 183 runs off 148 balls. In a match that looked already in the hands of Pakistan as India needed to chase 330 runs which looked impossible with the bowling attack of Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and Saeed Ajmal, Virat Kohli turned tables 180 degrees. Still reckoned as the highest ever scored by Virat Kohli, the 183-run knock of the player included 22 fours & a six, scored at a strike rate of 123.64. India won the game with 6 wickets and 13 balls to spare.
133 Against Sri Lanka in 2012
As goes by the words of the player himself, “probably my best one-day innings so far,” the Hobart epic was one of the most powerful performances of Virat Kohli. After the epic 2011 World Cup Finale clash, the Hobart game was India’s chance to qualify for VB tri-series finals. However, it looked like a tough task with 321 runs to be chased down in 40 overs. The veterans of the team including Sehwag, Sachin and Gambhir, played their part but Kohli stole the show with his 133* off 86 balls. He hit Sri Lanka’s top bowler for 24 runs in an over, helping team India chase the 300+ total is just 36.4 overs.
82 against Australia in 2016 T20 World Cup
The other important knock is the one against Australia during the 2016 T20 World Cup. Hitting 82 runs off 51 balls, Virat helped stabilize India’s position in the game, after the promising top-order of the team failed. With the total lying at 49/3 in the 8th over of the game, India’s victory seemed difficult as the required run rate rose to 12. Virat’s knock of unbeaten at 82 included 9 fours, and 2 sixes took India to victory with still 5 balls to spare.
