Virat Kohli Surpasses Mahela Jayawardene, Becomes Fourth Highest Run-Getter In International Cricket

New Delhi: Team India’s star batter Virat Kohli reached yet another historic milestone as he became the 4th highest run-getter in International cricket after surpassing legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene during the ODI World Cup 2023 clash between Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team and Najmul Hossain Shanto’s Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on October 19.

Virat needed 34 runs to reach this milestone and he did it comfortably. First Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill joined an astonishing 88 runs-opening partnership to give Team India a good start in the chase. However, Rohit missed his fifty by 2 runs and lost his wicket to Hasan Mahmud.

After that Virat joined Gill and put together 44 runs partnership. Gill completed his fifty before Mehidy Hasan Miraz sent him back to the pavilion. However, the Men in Blue didn’t allow Bangladesh to capitalise on it as Virat and Iyer joined a good 46-run stand to keep India afloat. Amidst this Virat not only completed his 9th World Cup half-century but also became the 4th batter in the history of cricket to complete 26000 International runs after Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara and Ricky Ponting.

Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav helped India fight back and restrict Bangladesh to 256/8 in 50 overs after openers Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan struck well-compiled half-centuries in Match 17 of the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023.

Jadeja (2-38 off 10) and Yadav (1-47) sent back the two set batters and halted Bangladesh in their tracks by triggering a middle-order collapse. Bangladesh from 110/1 in the 20th over could manage a modest score after electing to bat first on a flat wicket that was expected to help their batters regain their form.

But the World Cup trend of middle-order collapses continued as Bangladesh could manage only 126/5 in the 30 overs between 11 to 40. They managed to reach a decent score thanks to a 36-ball 46 by Mahmudullah, who helped them score 67/3 in the last 10 overs.

For India, pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohd Siraj came back well in the death overs to claim two wickets apiece though the latter was a tad expensive at 2-60 off his 10 overs.

However, the major concern for India in the match was the ankle injury suffered by all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who managed to bowl only three deliveries before he twisted his ankle trying to field in his follow-through.

Bangladesh were off to a good start thanks to half-centuries by openers Das (66 off 82 balls, 7×4) and Hasan (51 0ff 43, 5×4, 3×6). However, they failed to capitalise on the platform the two openers provided.