Champions Trophy: Virat Kohli Breaks Ricky Ponting’s Record For ‘Most Catches’ In ODIs During Semi-Final

March 4, 2025: Indian cricket stalwart Virat Kohli added another feather to his cap as he broke Australian legend Ricky Ponting’s record for the most catches taken by a fielder in One Day Internationals (ODIs) during the high-stakes Champions Trophy semi-final between India and Australia in Dubai on Wednesday.

Kohli, 36, demonstrated his exceptional athleticism and concentration as he took two catches during Australia’s innings, which saw them posted a modest total of 264 runs. The first came when he caught Josh Inglis off the bowling of Mohammed Shami, leveling the record with Ponting at 160 catches. Kohli completed the record-breaking feat on the final ball of the 49th over, taking a comfortable catch off Nathan Ellis, who attempted to clear the boundary but mishit the ball.

With this, Kohli now holds the second-highest number of catches by a fielder in ODI history with 161 catches, only behind Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, who holds the record with 218 catches. Ponting’s tally of 160 now places him in third, while former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin is fourth with 156 catches.

Australia’s innings was led by blistering half-centuries from Steve Smith (73) and Alex Carey (61), but their efforts were thwarted by some brilliant Indian bowling. Mohammed Shami was the standout performer with the ball, finishing with figures of 3/48. Varun Chakravarthy (2/49) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/40) also played key roles in dismantling the Australian batting line-up, with Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya adding a wicket each to their tally.

As India heads into the second innings, they will look to chase down the 264-run target, buoyed by Kohli’s fielding record and a strong bowling performance.