Virat Kohli on Sunday equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 one-day international (ODI) hundreds as India bowled out South Africa for just 83 in a 243-run Cricket World Cup rout, with the superstar batsman hailing his achievement as “the stuff of dreams.”
Kohli, on his 35th birthday, got to the landmark in 119 balls, including 10 fours, at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens.
It had taken him 277 innings to score 49 hundreds at this level compared with the more than 450 required by fellow India 2011 World Cup-winner Tendulkar.
Photo: Reuters
Yet Kohli said Tendulkar was still in a class of his own.
“It’s a huge honor to equal my hero’s record,” he said. “People like comparisons — I am never going to be as good as him. He is perfection with batting. It’s an emotional moment.”
Kohli’s 101 not out was the centerpiece of India’s 326-5 before their powerful attack cleaned up as Rohit Sharma’s men made it eight wins out of eight at the tournament.
Together with Shreyas Iyer (77) Kohli shared a third-wicket partnership of 134 after India captain Rohit had won the toss.
India, fresh from dismissing Sri Lanka for just 55 during a 302-run rout of the 1996 champions, sparked another collapse as South Africa were dismissed for 83.
It was the Proteas’ second-lowest ODI total, behind their 69 against Australia at Sydney in 1993, and lowest at a World Cup. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja took 5-33, with India now assured of finishing the pool phase in top spot.
Like India, South Africa had also already made sure of their semi-final place.
Kohli, now averaging more than 108 in the World Cup, said during the innings break: “Every opportunity to play for India is a big one, to be able to ton up on my birthday is the stuff of dreams. It is something you dream about as a child.”
Tendulkar led the tributes to Kohli, the retired India great writing on social media platform X: “Well played Virat. It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 [years old] earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days. Congratulations.”
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