March 2, 2025: Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma’s reaction during the ICC Champions Trophy match between India and New Zealand on Sunday perfectly captured the disbelief felt by many as her husband, Virat Kohli, was dismissed earlier than expected in his landmark 300th ODI appearance.
Sitting in the stands alongside Virat’s elder brother Vikas Kohli, Anushka was seen mouthing “Oh my God!” after New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips took a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss the Indian batting star. The moment stunned both the players and fans alike as Kohli, who had been looking in great touch, was sent back to the pavilion with just 11 runs off 14 balls.
Virat, on his special day, had already hit two boundaries off Matt Henry and appeared set to make a big score. However, a well-timed shot found its way to Phillips in the backward point region, where he displayed his incredible athleticism by diving to take a one-handed stunner. This catch added to Phillips’s growing reputation as one of the most agile fielders in the game.
Kohli’s early exit was a major blow, but his contribution in the 300 ODIs played thus far is nothing short of extraordinary. With 14,096 runs at an average of 58.00, 51 centuries, and 73 fifties, Virat is the third-highest run-scorer in ODI history, behind only Kumar Sangakkara and Sachin Tendulkar. His highest score in an ODI is an impressive 183. Kohli is also the record-holder for the most centuries in ODIs.
In the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025, Kohli has been in good form, having scored 133 runs in two matches, including an unbeaten century against Pakistan, with an average of 66.50. Despite his early exit in this match, his continued excellence in the format highlights his consistency and immense contribution to Indian cricket over the years.