Kohli on his 48th ODI century: ‘Just wanted to finish the game for India’

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After scoring his 48th ODI century, Virat Kohli He said he just wanted to “stay till the end and finish the game” as India defeated Bangladesh Seven wickets in Pune And register four wins from four in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Kohli remained unbeaten on 103 runs in 97 balls and reached the magical figure by hitting a six to score the winning run.

“I wanted to make a big contribution. I have scored a few fifties in the World Cup, and I have never really converted them so I just wanted to finish the game this time. Yeah, stay till the end, that’s my Kohli, who was awarded the Player-of-the-Match award, said, “He has performed well for the team over the years.”

This was Kohli’s first century in the ODI World Cup. Since he scored 107 runs against Pakistan In Adelaide in 2015. Since then he has registered seven half-centuries, but has never been able to cross the three-figure mark till date. And it is fitting that it happened in Pune, where he averages 78.71 after eight innings.
However, for a long time it did not seem that Kohli would be able to reach triple digits. Chasing 257, India reached 229 for 3 at the end of 38 overs and needed 28 runs to win. At this time Kohli was on 73 runs. Kohli and KL Rahul Took one run each on the first two balls of the 39th over, with the equation being that India needed 20 runs to win, Kohli also needed the same number of runs.
This was the time when Kohli took the risk. he pumped Hasan Mahmood Nasum reached the stands at long-on before hitting Ahmed for a four and a six. Both also rejected singles – five of them in almost three overs – as the target came closer, before Kohli, who was on 97 at the time, hit Nasum for a six over deep midwicket to bring up his century and India’s lead in the 42nd over. Recorded victory.

Earlier, Kohli could not have asked for a better start to his innings as he got two free-hits from Mahmood early on, which he followed up with a four and a six to take his innings forward.

Kohli said, “I was telling Shubman (Gill) that if you dream about such a situation as you fall asleep, you will not think that it is real.” “It was a dream start for me, the first four balls, two free hits, a six and a four, just calms you down and gets you into the innings. The pitch was very good and it allowed me to play my game … Just time the ball to get into the gap, run hard and get boundaries where needed.”

Kohli and R Ashwin are the only two surviving members of India’s 2011 World Cup win and he admitted that the atmosphere in the changing room is great.

“There is a great atmosphere in the changing room. We are enjoying each other’s company, there is a feeling of seeing everyone off the field, which is why it is visible on the field as well. We understand It’s a long tournament and you need it.” To create some momentum in the changing room for guys to come out and play like this. “Playing at home, playing in front of all these people is a special feeling so we want to make the most of it.”

‘I wasn’t going to play singles anyway’ – Rahul

Rahul later admitted that it was his decision not to take singles in the last few overs, which showed that even without it, India were heading towards a big win.

“He (Kohli) was confused, he said it wouldn’t look very good not to take a single, it’s still a World Cup and it’s still a big stage. I don’t want to look like I’m just trying to get by Milestone,” Rahul said in an interview star sports, “But I said, I mean it has not been won but still I think we will win very easily, so if you can reach the milestone then why not, you should try. And he ended I did it. I wasn’t going to run solo anyway.”

Rahul himself was in a similar situation during India’s first World Cup match. against Australia in Chennai, He needed nine runs for a century while India needed five runs to win, when Rahul ended the matter with a six. He admitted that he was looking for a four to give himself a chance of a century, but “it felt too sweet.”

“I can’t say I misjudged it, but in the end I hit it a little too good, I was in a similar situation. I needed seven (nine) but the team needed five runs, so I The only way I could get it was to hit a four and then a six. That’s what I tried to do honestly, I just tried to chip it over cover but I hit it very well. The moment I hit it, I knew I hit it very sweetly,” Rahul said.

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