Virat Kohli in action against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023© X (formerly Twitter)
Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli took a leaf out of his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB De Villiers to play a surprisingly audacious shot during the Asia Cup 2023 match against Pakistan on Monday. In the final over of the Indian innings, Kohli was looking to score some quick runs and his shot selection left a lot of fans surprised. On the penultimate ball of the over, he moved across to the off stump to make room for himself but at the last moment, changed his decision. Instead, he opened the face of his bat to guide the full-toss delivery towards the third-man for a boundary.
Virat Kohli returned to his record-breaking ways with his 47th ODI ton while KL Rahul dispelled all doubts over his fitness with a scintillating hundred and powered India to a mammoth 356 for 2 against a hapless Pakistan in an Asia Cup Super Four match on Monday.
Kohli also became the fastest to reach 13,000 runs in the format as he closed down on Sachin Tendulkar‘s world record 49 ODI centuries.
Beautiful shot by Virat Kohli
Amazing ….#PAKvIND #AsiaCup23 pic.twitter.com/7xWUyvjTzJ— Asad Nafees (@nafeeesch) September 11, 2023
The contemporary legend’s love affair with R Premadasa Stadium continued as his unbeaten 122 off 94 balls was his fourth hundred on trot at this very venue.
Kohli’s hundred did not overshadow Rahul, who raced to his sixth ODI hundred — a chiseled 106-ball-111 not out in a superb 233-run stand for the unconquered third wicket.
The highly-rated Pakistan bowling attack lay in tatters and was hamstrung on the day due to the absence of their fastest man Haris Rauf, who didn’t turn up due to an injury.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, considered to be India’s biggest threat was taken to the cleaners by India’s top four as he leaked 79 runs in his 10 overs. Overall, the Pakistani bowlers struggled to contain the opposition batters, who hit 37 boundaries and nine sixes in all.
(With PTI inputs)
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