India star Virat Kohli went past New Zealand youngster Rachin Ravindra to become the highest run-getter at the end of the league stages of the ongoing World Cup 2023. Kohli reached the landmark during his 51-run knock against the Netherlands in the last group-stage match at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
With the latest knock of 51 on Sunday, Kohli took his overall tally for the tournament so far to 594 as semi-final-bound India looked set for a massive score in the last group match in Bengaluru. Virat Kohli reached his fifty in 53 deliveries, displaying his batting finesse with five boundaries and a well-timed six.
Notably, Kohli adopted an unconventional approach by incorporating sweeps against spinners, a tactic he doesn't frequently employ. Despite falling just 4 runs shy of reaching the 600-run milestone, which would make him the third Indian batter to achieve this feat in a World Cup edition, Kohli remains well-positioned to accomplish this in the upcoming semi-final clash against New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Unfortunately, Virat Kohli couldn't capitalize on his fifty to achieve his 50th ODI hundred, succumbing to left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe in the 29th over. The atmosphere in the Bengaluru crowd turned somber as Kohli, attempting a late cut, missed a crucial delivery. Disappointment was evident on the faces of the fans as the star batter missed the chance to break Sachin Tendulkar's all-time ODI record on Diwali.
Earlier in the day, India captain Rohit Sharma played a fluent 61-run knock with eight fours and two sixes, eventually getting out to Bas de Leede in the first innings. During this outstanding innings, Rohit Sharma not only showcased his batting prowess but also broke Sourav Ganguly's two-decade-old World Cup record as India's highest run-scoring captain in a single campaign.
Ganguly had set the previous record of 465 runs in the 2003 World Cup, featuring 11 innings and three centuries, with a high score of 111. In contrast, Rohit has now amassed an impressive 503 runs in just nine innings during the current World Cup, including a century and three half-centuries, with a top score of 131. This achievement solidifies Rohit's position as a key run-scorer for India in the ongoing tournament.
(With inputs from agencies)