Renowned Indian cricketer Virat Kohli possesses the remarkable potential to reach an astounding milestone of 50 ODI centuries, and even aspire to attain the elusive 100 international centuries. Nevertheless, it is prudent for the batting maestro to momentarily shield himself from the fervour surrounding his 49th ODI century, as suggested by former England captain, Nasser Hussain.
Kohli's near-miss on achieving his 49th ODI century occurred in a nail-biting encounter during India's World Cup 2023 clash against Sri Lanka at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. His pursuit was agonisingly cut short when he was dismissed for 88 runs, a mere 12 runs shy of matching the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's iconic record in ODI cricket. Notably, this attempt took place in front of the "Master Blaster" himself, who was a spectator in Mumbai, closely observing the World Cup showdown.
Kohli seemed on the cusp of finally breaking the century drought as India took to the crease at the beginning of the match. He briskly reached his fifty in just 51 balls and advanced into the 80s before the 30th over, leaving him with an ample window to attain a three-figure score. However, an artful slower delivery from Sri Lankan paceman Dilshan Madushanka deceived him in the 32nd over.
The Wankhede Stadium witnessed a collective hush as Kohli made the slow walk back to the pavilion, his disappointment palpable. To compound the disappointment for the crowd, Shubman Gill had been dismissed for 92 just moments earlier, narrowly missing out on his inaugural World Cup century.
In a candid conversation with Star Sports, Nasser Hussain imparted invaluable wisdom, underscoring the paramount importance of India's World Cup victory. He emphasised the need to shield Kohli from the cacophony surrounding his 49th century, ensuring that neither he nor the team was distracted from their ultimate goal. Hussain fondly recalled how the iconic Sachin Tendulkar had grappled with immense pressure when inching towards his 100th international century.
"Anything I would say about it… winning the World Cup is the most important thing. He will get the 49, he will get the 50th. He will probably get a 100 international hundreds, he is that good. But the more important thing is winning the World Cup. India must not build it up to be about his 49th," Nasser Hussain said.
"I remember Sachin had spoken about it, the only time he really felt the enormity of who he was when going from 99 to 100, the person in the room service before he hung up asked him 'are you going to get your 100th today?.
"He hid himself from the noise, he shut out the noise and the only time he could hear the noise was from 99 to 100.
"So, I just hope that Virat can hide away from that noise, just for a few weeks longer," he added.
Virat Kohli's prolific journey towards his 49th ODI century featured a notable milestone when he notched up his 48th ODI hundred during India's triumphant pursuit against Bangladesh on October 19. The anticipation for his 49th century was palpable, as Kohli came tantalisingly close to achieving it in their victory over New Zealand. However, his quest was curtailed when he was dismissed for 95 in the game against the BlackCaps in Dharamsala.
Despite the missed centuries by Kohli and his teammate Shubman Gill in their latest match, India demonstrated their batting prowess by amassing a substantial total of 357 runs. The late-innings fireworks courtesy of Shreyas Iyer played a pivotal role in this achievement, further showcasing India's formidable batting depth.
In a splendid display of cricket, India secured a commanding 302-run victory in Mumbai, with their fast bowlers delivering a masterclass. Leading the charge was Mohammed Shami, who once again impressed with a remarkable 5-wicket haul.
This remarkable performance made India the first team to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the World Cup, achieving this feat through a streak of seven consecutive victories in the tournament. As the tournament progresses, India is set to face South Africa in a high-stakes encounter, as the table-toppers battle it out in Kolkata on November 5.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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