Currently, India’s best batter, Virat Kohli, who’s also known as King Kohli, has been admired worldwide. The batter who debuted for the senior men’s team in 2008 soon made his name as the ‘Chase Master’ in world cricket. The batter soon celebrated for his ability in chasing targets for India across all formats. One of his most memorable performances while chasing took place during the 2012 Tri-Nation Series in Australia, where he led India to a fantastic win against Sri Lanka at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on 28th February 2012.
Virat Kohli’s 133 against Sri Lanka
India needed to score 321 runs within 40 overs to stay in contention for the final. Openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar provided a blazing start, adding 54 runs in just over six overs. Kohli stepped in after Lasith Malinga dismissed Tendulkar with India at 86/2. Taking charge from there, Kohli remained unbeaten and helped India achieve the target in just 36.4 overs. He scored a blistering 133 off 86 balls, hitting 16 fours and 2 sixes, and increased the scoring rate with his half-century off 44 balls and a century off 76 balls.
Praise from MS Dhoni for Kohli
Reflecting on the win, then-captain MS Dhoni remarked, “This was some of the best ODI cricket I have been a part of. When you need 321 off 40, you need a good start. We knew we had the firepower, but still, 320 was more than we could digest. But once we got that start, we knew we could kick on.” Dhoni’s comments showed the exceptional contribution from the top order and Kohli’s finishing ability.
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Kohli’s outstanding chasing record
Fast forward 13 years, Kohli holds the record for most runs in successful ODI chases. In 105 such matches, he has amassed 5913 runs at an average of 89.59, including 24 hundreds and 25 fifties. His latest century in a chase came against Pakistan on February 23, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest chasers in cricket history.
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