Virat Kohli Shatters Records with 52nd ODI Century in Thrilling Match Against South Africa

Kohli's Stellar Performance Leads India to Victory

Ranchi: Virat Kohli showcased his exceptional talent in the 50-over format, scoring his 52nd century and propelling India to a formidable total of 349 for eight against South Africa in the opening ODI of their three-match series on Sunday.

Kohli's impressive innings of 120 runs off 135 balls, featuring 11 boundaries and 7 sixes, was complemented by a significant partnership of 136 runs with his long-time teammate Rohit Sharma, who contributed 57 runs from 51 balls.

The crowd erupted as Kohli reached his century with a boundary off South African pacer Marco Jansen, leading to a fan rushing onto the field to celebrate the milestone.

With this century, Kohli surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, becoming the player with the most centuries in ODIs, now holding 52 compared to Tendulkar's 51 Test centuries.

Rohit Sharma also made headlines by hitting his 352nd six in ODI cricket, breaking the previous record held by former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who had 351.

KL Rahul added a late surge to the innings, scoring 60 runs off 56 balls.

Brief scores: India: 349/8 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 120, Rohit Sharma 57, KL Rahul 60; Ottneil Baartman 2/60, Nandre Burger 2/65).