ICC World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli has taken the cricket world by storms as he has scored 594 runs in nine matches of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 with two centuries and five 50s. His batting average of 99.00 and the strike rate of 88.52 speaks volume about his batting prowess in the 2023 50-over World. When he begins his innings against New Zealand in the first semi-final of the World Cup on Wednesday (November 15), he can attempt breaking three records held jointly or individually by Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. The first is to surpass the record of the most centuries in ODI cricket, the second is the most runs in a World Cup, and the third is the most 50-plus scores in a World Cup.
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At present, Virat Kohli has the same number of centuries in ODIs as Tendulkar at 49. However, he is still behind Tendulkar’s record of 673 runs in a single world cup, which the ace Indian cricketer set at the 2003 World Cup.
Most centuries in ODIs
Virat Kohli equalled Tendulkar’s record of most centuries in ODI cricket when he scored a ton in India’s round-robin match against South Africa in the 2023 ICC World Cup at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, last week.
If Kohli scores a century against New Zealand on Wednesday, he will surpass Tendulkar’s record of most tons in ODIs.
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Kohli will also become the first cricketer in ODI cricket to score 50 centuries.
Most runs in a World Cup
Tendulkar achieved this mark when he scored 673 runs in 11 matches at the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.
Tendulkar scored one century and six half-centuries at an average of 61.18 and a strike rate of 89.25.
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Not just surpassing Tendulkar’s feat, Kohli will also improved on the record of Rohit Sharma, who has scored the second most runs by an Indian cricketer in a World Cup after Tendulkar.
Rohit scored 648 runs in nine matches with a record five centuries and one fifty at the 2015 World Cup.
Most 50-plus scores in a World Cup
Playing against Netherlands in Bengaluru on Sunday, Kohli equalled Tendulkar and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan’s record of the most 50-plus scores (7 each) in a world cup.
While Tendulkar’s feat came at the 2003 World Cup, Shakib equalled the the India’s record at the 2019 World Cup.
Kohli can surpass the duo with a fifty or a century on Wednesday.