Batting juggernaut Virat Kohli once again fired with the willow with back-to-back half centuries in the ongoing Asia Cup on Sunday (September 4). Kohli rocked with 60 off 44 in the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Super Fours of Asia Cup at the Dubai International Stadium, however, India lost the match by five wickets.
Riding on his sensational fifty, Kohli scripted two world records and he also went atop the run-scoring chart in Asia Cup 2022.
Kohli surpassed India skipper Rohit Sharma to notch-up most fifty-plus scores in T20I cricket. He now has 32 such scores in 94 innings for India, one more than Rohit, who has appeared in a record 135 matches for the Men in Blue in the format.
In his stunning knock, the 33-year-old blasted four boundaries and a six to take India's total to a competitive 181/7 which Pakistan chased down with five wickets to spare.
This was also his fourth fifty-plus knock against Pakistan in the T20I format, which puts him at the top of the unique list alongside England legend Kevin Pietersen, veteran New Zealand batters Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson, and Australia's Aaron Finch.
With this knock he also edged past India's head coach Rahul Dravid in the list if most fifty-plus scores for India in international cricket. He now has 194 such scores, of which 70 are centuries, and stands only behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who has 264 such knocks for India.
Kohli has also become the leading run-getter in the ongoing tournament, scoring 154 runs at an average of 77 and strike rate of 126.22. Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz stands second with 135 runs in as many innings.
Mohammad Rizwan's patient 71 and Mohammad Nawaz's whirlwind 20-ball 42 cameo helped Pakistan win the second round against India in Asia Cup 2022. India’s sloppy fielding became the villain of the match as Arshdeep dropped a sitter in the 18th over. After the dropped catch, Asif Ali went on to scored just 16 runs off eight deliveries to help Babar Azam-led side win the game by five wickets with one ball to spare.
