Kohli and Rohit Shine in Vijay Hazare Trophy with Record-Breaking Centuries
Kohli and Rohit Dominate in Domestic ODI Cricket
On Wednesday, renowned Indian ODI cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma made headlines by smashing memorable centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), shattering numerous batting records. Marking their much-anticipated return to domestic ODI cricket after several years, the 'Ro-Ko' duo proved to be an unstoppable force. Their impressive performances in their favored format reaffirmed their commitment to the 'Mission 2027 ODI World Cup'.
Match Highlights: Delhi vs Andhra Pradesh
At the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru, Kohli's exceptional run strategy and swift pace helped Delhi chase down a target of 299 runs against Andhra Pradesh. After winning the toss, Delhi opted to field first. Andhra Pradesh set a competitive score of 298/8 in 50 overs, thanks to Ricky Bhui's century (122 runs off 105 balls, including 11 fours and 7 sixes). Notably, captain and emerging all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 23 runs off 21 balls, with one four and one six. For Delhi, pacers Simarjeet Singh (5/54) and Prince Yadav (3/50) were the standout bowlers.
Delhi's Chase and Kohli's Milestone
Delhi lost Arpit Rana early but a solid partnership of 113 runs between Priyansh Arya (74 runs off 44 balls, with 7 fours and 5 sixes) and Kohli put them in a strong position. Nitish Rana (77 runs off 55 balls, including 9 fours and 2 sixes) added another 160-run partnership with Kohli, who scored 131 runs off 101 balls (14 fours and 3 sixes) before getting out. Despite a poor performance from captain Rishabh Pant (5), Delhi secured victory by four wickets in 37.4 overs.
Kohli's Record-Breaking Achievement
Kohli became the second Indian batsman to reach 16,000 List A runs, following Sachin Tendulkar (21,999 runs), and is now the ninth player overall to achieve this milestone. With his 58th List A century, he is just three centuries away from breaking Sachin's record of 60 List A centuries. Kohli accomplished this feat in only 330 innings, while Sachin took 391 innings to reach the same mark.
Rohit's Stellar Performance
In a match between Mumbai and Sikkim in Jaipur, Sikkim opted to bat first but was restricted to 236 runs for 7 wickets in 50 overs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Ashish Thapa top-scored with 79 runs off 84 balls, including eight fours. In response, Rohit Sharma delivered a spectacular performance, scoring a century off just 62 balls and finishing with an unbeaten 155 runs. He hit 18 fours and 9 sixes, leading his team to victory with nearly 20 overs to spare.
Rohit Joins Elite Company
Rohit also equaled the record for the most 150-plus scores in List A cricket, sharing this achievement with Australian great David Warner, with both having nine such scores. Following an impressive series against South Africa at home and a stellar year in ODIs, both players are participating in domestic cricket to maintain their agility and match fitness.