In a stunning display of batsmanship, Virat Kohli has etched his name in the annals of cricket history by becoming the fastest to 13000 ODI runs. This remarkable feat was achieved during a scintillating innings against Pakistan in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup.
Kohli's masterful performance solidified his status as one of the modern era's greatest batsmen.
Kohli's achievement is all the more extraordinary when compared to the legends who preceded him in the 13,000-run club – Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Mahela Jayawardene.
Tendulkar, long hailed as the “God of Cricket”, took 321 innings to reach this milestone, a record that stood for a significant period.
Kohli, on the other hand, reached the same landmark in just 267 innings, breaking Tendulkar's record and proving his dominance in the limited-overs format.
He is also the fastest to 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, and 13000 runs now in ODIs.
Virat Kohli in ODIs 🤯
— ICC (@ICC) September 11, 2023
Fastest to 8000 runs
Fastest to 9000 runs
Fastest to 10,000 runs
Fastest to 11,000 runs
Fastest to 12,000 runs
Fastest to 13,000 runs (today)#PAKvIND | #AsiaCup2023 | More on his record 👇
Virat Kohli: The fastest to 13000 ODI runs
Let's take a closer look at the elite list of players who have achieved this remarkable milestone of becoming the fastest to 13000 ODI runs:
Player | Innings |
Virat Kohli | 267 |
Sachin Tendulkar | 321 |
Ricky Ponting | 341 |
Kumar Sangakkara | 363 |
Sanath Jayasuriya | 416 |
What sets Kohli apart from his illustrious predecessors is not only the speed at which he reached 13,000 runs but also his exceptional batting average. While Tendulkar maintained an impressive average of 44.83 during his illustrious career, Kohli boasts a staggering average of 57.62.
This places him in a league of his own, underlining his consistency and ability to convert starts into substantial innings.
In addition to his incredible average, Kohli has also scored an astounding 47 centuries in ODIs, closing in on another Tendulkar record. With just two more centuries, Kohli will equal Tendulkar's tally of 49 ODI centuries, a feat that would further solidify his status as one of the greatest ODI batsmen ever.
Here's a quick look at the top five run-scorers in men's ODIs:
- Sachin Tendulkar – 18,426 runs
- Kumar Sangakkara – 14,234 runs
- Ricky Ponting – 13,704 runs
- Sanath Jayasuriya – 13,430 runs
- Virat Kohli – 13,024 runs (and counting)
Kohli's record-breaking innings that made him the fastest to 13000 ODI runs against Pakistan once again underlined his status as one of ODI’s greatest-ever batter. Kohli reached his half-century off 55 balls and then accelerated to his 47th ODI century in just 29 more deliveries.
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Kohli was well-supported by his teammate KL Rahul, who was returning from injury and made his 6th ODI ton to relieve India of a major middle-order headache ahead of the World Cup. Together, they forged a formidable partnership, the highest in Asia Cup history, that propelled India to a commanding total, their joint-highest against Pakistan in ODIs.