Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: Star batter Virat Kohli had another record-breaking outing on the cricket field on Sunday as he become the Indian batter with the highest amount of runs in ICC white-ball tournaments, edging past legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
The veteran accomplished this feat during India’s ICC Cricket World Cup match against Australia in Chennai’s Chepauk stadium.
Virat came to the crease during a tense time, with India at 2/3 during a 200-run chase. But he brought back India into the game with his 116-ball 85 runs, with six fours. He scored his runs at a strike rate of over 73, showcasing his patience. He also stitched a 165-run stand for the fourth wicket with KL Rahul.
In the 27 ODI World Cups, Virat has scored 1,115 runs at an average of 48.47 and a strike rate of above 85. He has two centuries and seven fifties in 27 innings, with the best score of 107. He is the 11th highest-scorer of all time in WCs and second-highest run-scorer for India.
Coming to the ICC Champions Trophy, he has scored 529 runs in 13 matches at an average of 88.16, with five fifties in 12 innings. His best score is 96*. He is the 11th highest-scorer in tournament history and India’s fourth.
In 27 ICC T20 World Cup matches, he has scored 1,141 runs at an average of 81.50, with 14 fifties in 25 innings and a best score of 89*. He is the highest run-scorer in the tournament’s history.
This all combines to, 2,785 runs in 67 matches and 64 innings, coming at an average of 66.30, with two centuries and 26 fifties.
Sachin on the other hand, could only play ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy. He did not represent India in ICC T20 World Cups.
The Indian batting maestro is the leading run-scorer in 50-over WC history. In 45 matches and 44 innings, he scored 2,278 runs at an average of 56.95 and a strike rate of 88.98. He scored six centuries and 15 half-centuries in his WC career, with the best score of 152. He also has the most centuries in World Cup history.
Coming to the ICC Champions Trophy, Sachin scored 441 runs at an average of 36.75, with a century and fifty in 14 innings and 16 matches. His best score was 141.
In these two ICC white-ball events, he has combined 2,719 runs at an average of 52.28, with seven centuries and 16 fifties and best score of 152.
Coming to the WC match between India and Australia, Australia lost Mitchell Marsh for a duck, but opener David Warner (41 in 52 balls with six fours) and Steve Smith (46 in 71 balls with five fours) helped the Aussies recover with their 69-run second-wicket partnership. Marnus Labuschagne (27) tried to take the Aussie innings forward with Smith, but following Smith’s dismissal, Australia faced a collapse.
The spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja (3/28), Kuldeep Yadav (2/42) and Ravichandran Ashwin (1/34) wreaked havoc on Australia’s line-up of recognised batters while the pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah (2/35), Mohammed Siraj (1/26) and Hardik Pandya (1/28) removed the lower order, sinking Australia from 110/3 to 199 all out in 49.3 overs. Mitchell Starc (28) tried to help the Aussies play the full quota of 50 overs, but he failed.
In the chase of 200, India lost Ishan Kishan, skipper Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer for ducks, leaving India at 2/3. Then a 165-run stand between Virat (85 in 116 balls with six fours) and KL Rahul (97* in 115 balls with eight fours and two sixes) helped India secure a six-wicket win. Josh Hazlewood (3/38) was the best bowler for Australia.
