The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai witnessed a historic moment on Wednesday as Virat Kohli etched his name in cricket history by securing his 50th ODI hundred during the India-New Zealand ODI World Cup semifinal. His achievement surpasses the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record, who had amassed 49 centuries in the 50-over format before retiring a decade ago. After achieving the feat the athlete humbly bowed down to the ‘God of Cricket’ and in a heartwarming gesture, blowed kisses to his wife, actress Anushka Sharma.
Sachin also took to his X account to commend the athlete saying, "The first time I met you in the Indian dressing room, you were pranked by other teammates into touching my feet. I couldn’t stop laughing that day. But soon, you touched my heart with your passion and skill. I am so happy that that young boy has grown into a ‘Virat’ player. I couldn’t be happier that an Indian broke my record. And to do it on the biggest stage - in the World Cup Semi-final - and at my home ground is the icing on the cake."
Virat now boasts 29 ODI hundreds, complemented by one more in T20Is, totalling an impressive 80 international centuries. Batting at number three, he reached his century in 106 balls, marking his third hundred in the ongoing tournament after stellar performances against Bangladesh and South Africa.
The 35-year-old equalled Sachin’s tally earlier this month at the Eden Gardens and fittingly surpassed it at the same venue where Tendulkar played his last international match. This milestone also marked a unique record for Kohli, being his first instance of scoring 50 or more in an ODI World Cup knockout match. The prolific batsman not only secured his 50th century but also eclipsed Sachin’s record of 673 runs in a single ODI World Cup.
Before Virat’s masterful performance, Rohit Sharma’s brisk 47 laid a solid foundation for India in the semifinal. Following Sharma’s departure, Virat partnered with Shubman Gill, adding 83 runs for the second wicket. Shubman, unfortunately, retired hurt at 79 due to cramps in his left leg. At the end of 23 overs, they reached 165 for one, showcasing a formidable performance in the crucial semifinal clash.